News Second Consumer Harm Report shows value of trading standards Over the past two years, National Trading Standards has secured £12.63 of economic benefit for every £1 spent, according to the second Consumer Harm Report published last month. The report outlines the key threats and criminal activity that National Trading Standards teams have tackled over the past year, saving businesses and consumers an estimated £93m. The teams’ investigations have seen 77 criminals – convicted in 2015-16 – collectively sentenced to 161 years’ worth of jail time. The report also highlights areas where scams are increasing. It has identified several emerging threats, including an increase in counterfeit and dangerous goods being advertised on social media platforms, and misleading listings on online portals. Following the first Consumer Harm Report last year, National Trading Standards decided to publish a second version to explain the types of crime that take place, help people and businesses understand what new threats are emerging, and raise awareness of what can be done to tackle this activity. Lord Harris, chair of National Trading Standards, said: ‘This year we have continued to see criminals becoming more sophisticated. As technology advances, so do the tactics of criminals. Social media is increasingly being used for this type of criminal activity and our work has had to move rapidly to counter the threat to consumers. But this doesn’t mean the threat from what you might call the more traditional scammers and rogue traders has gone away. Our teams still see a large number of doorstep crime cases and millions of pieces of scam mail are sent to consumers – and we know that’s just the tip of the iceberg.’ The Consumer Harm Report also analyses four key areas of National Trading Standards activity, which includes its work to safeguard honest businesses and protect the supply chain. Autumn statement reveals no end in sight for austerity There will be no reprieve from austerity for local council services, including trading standards, following Chancellor Philip Hammond’s first Autumn Statement last month. The Autumn Statement 2016 policy paper promises to ‘continue to restore underlying public finances to health’, which means keeping in place financial plans announced in the 2015 Spending Review, and making additional cuts of £3.5bn, which were announced in the 2016 Budget. The statement also reveals that a ban on upfront fees charged by letting agents in England would be introduced ‘as soon as possible’, and that the Rural Rate Relief would be increased to 100 per cent, which is expected to give small businesses a tax break worth up to £2,900. The UK is now forecast to be the fastest-growing country in the G7 in 2016, after economic activity rose 2.3 per cent in quarter three. In addition, the employment rate is at a record high of 74.5 per cent. Trader guilty of money laundering and trademark offences A market trader has been found guilty of money laundering and trademark offences at Isleworth Crown Court after thousands of packets of illicit tobacco products, and more than £50,000 in cash, were found at his home. Hillingdon Trading Standards brought the prosecution against Harmohan Singh Nangpal, of Hayes, after conducting an in-depth investigation. Proceeds of more than £50,000 were found concealed in Nangpal’s toilet cistern, rubbish bin, under his mattress and other parts of his home. More than 1,000 packets of cigarettes were seized from his garage, along with 1,000 pouches of hand-rolling tobacco. These bore counterfeit trademarks for brands including Marlboro, Benson & Hedges, and Golden Virginia. Nangpal pleaded guilty to the possession of counterfeit tobacco, but not guilty to the money laundering offences relating to the £50,000 seized. The prosecution argued that this money was obtained by the sale of counterfeit tobacco and asserted that Nangpal had used money made from these illegal means to buy his house. The jury found him guilty on the money laundering charges. The council is now using the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover the money made by Nangpal through his trade in counterfeit goods and he will be sentenced in 2017. Jonathan Bianco, cabinet member for finance, property and business services, said: ‘It is deplorable that Nangpal was selling untested, unregulated and illegal tobacco products to unwitting customers. I am proud to report that Hillingdon Trading Standards officers conducted a thorough and in-depth investigation into his unlawful activities and helped bring him to justice.’ scam mail mountain seized from victims’ homes More than 500lb of scam mail were recovered from the homes of just six vulnerable people in Nottinghamshire. Officers from Nottinghamshire Trading Standards have been visiting the homes of older people, and those with dementia, to try to prevent them from becoming scam victims. In six of the biggest cases, the mail that was removed from the homes totalled 504lb or 36 stones – the weight of a male tiger. Nottinghamshire County Council has recently announced an extra £76,786 investment to help support local victims of mass marketing scams over the next 12 months. The money is paying for two additional trading standards officers, dedicated to working with those vulnerable residents who have been identified as potential victims of a scam. The National Scams Hub supplies local authorities with lists of potential scam victims seized from mailing houses, and the council has so far visited 400 potential victims who have been on local lists. stocksolutions / shutterstock