Nottinghamshire households are being warned about high-pressure sales calls which have pushed people into buying ‘health’ products.
Local Trading Standards officers say people are buying nutritional supplements and painkillers which may not work.
In one case a county resident agreed to pay nearly £1,000 for 30 tubes of pain relief cream, which can be bought over the counter for a fraction of the cost.
Experts at Notts County Council are asking people to check with a pharmacist or doctor before buying similar products.
Many of the products do not display the benefits
Councillor Alice Grice of the community safety committee said: “We are concerned about people being targeted by companies selling a variety of nutritional supplements and other medical products.
“People who take the calls are told on the phone these products are crucial for their health and wellbeing and unwittingly pay over the odds for these goods.
“Many of these products then do not display clearly on them instructions for use or what the health benefits of them are meant to be.”
Under pressure: Recent cases in Notts
- One resident agreed to buy 30 tubes of ‘pain relieving’ cream for joints which could be bought over the counter for a fraction of the £31 per tube they were charged with
- Someone sold a huge amount of different products including 20 packets of pomegranate supplements for a total of £500
- Another person was sold some skin cream and was not advised that it could be used on broken skin; when it arrived it was unsuitable and had to be returned
The warning comes as part of national Scams Awareness Month, which takes place in July across the UK.
It is being spearheaded by Citizens Advice and is supported by other organisations including Trading Standards teams in England and Wales.
Anyone concerned over any product bought over the phone is contact the Citizens Advice customer service line on 03454 040506.
