Trading Standards would like to remind iCAN Members, should you receive a callfrom someone claiming to be from the Telephone Preference Service or a similar sounding organisation asking for personal information or wanting to charge you for this service, that TPS is a FREE service. Please do not give out any personal details to anyone who cold calls by telephone or on the doorstep.

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Warrington and Halton Trading Standards would like residents to be on their guard following a report of a Council Tax Rebate scam.

A Warrington resident received a telephone call allegedly from the Borough Council advising her that she had been wrongly banded for Council Tax and was due a substantial rebate. The caller confirmed the residents correct personal details including date of birth, and then requested bank details in order for the rebate to be paid. Fortunately the resident felt uncomfortable with the request and the call was terminated.

No council would ever contact a resident in this manner on such issues. Generally when refunding an overpaid amount, if details are already held then refunds will be paid automatically into the bank. If not, then a straightforward cheque refund will be issued in the post.

Further reports have emerged from around the country that there are a number of variations on the scam. Home owners are being contacted over the telephone or on the doorstep and toldthey had paid either too much or too little council tax. On each occasion bank details are requested.

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Trading Standards and Cheshire Police would like to make iCAN members aware of callers going door to door offering free prize draw tickets for the chance to win a car. Trading Standards would like to pass on this information in order that iCAN members keep vigilant at all times.

It has been reported that an 82 year old lady was called upon at her home in the Old Hall area of Warrington on the evening of Thursday 24 June 2010 at 7pm and offered free prize draw tickets. She subsequently received a telephone call the following day to inform her that she had not won a car but a free carpet clean and would be visited today, Friday 25 June for the job to be carried out.

Did you see or were you approached by anyone going door to door who may have been trying to give away free prize draw tickets. Please contact Cheshire Police on 0845 4580000 with any information regarding this type of incident or any further concerns you may have about cold callers in your area.

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Trading Standards and Cheshire Police would like to alert iCAN members to an incident that took place on Tuesday 22 June 2010.

A shopper visiting the Riverside Retail Park, Wharf Street, Warrington on Tuesday afternoon was approached on the car park by two males in a white transit van selling a flat screen tv. One male was reportedly in his early 40s and the second in his early 20s. Both were wearing jeans and t-shirts and spoke with an Irish accent.

The fully wrapped flat screen tv was purchased for two hundred pounds and taken home but on closer inspection was found to be very severely damaged.

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FLUSHING facial, baby or household wipes down the drain could cost you and the environment more than you think.

These increasingly popular disposable wipes can now be found in over two thirds of blocked shared drains. They also contribute to flooding as contrary to popular belief they do not easily break down and are not suitable for flushing through toilets. Environmental Health has seen a sharp increase in the number of complaints received from householders over the past couple of years.

As many drains are private and the responsibility of the householder, cost tounblock drains is therefore often shared with surrounding neighbours. It can be difficult to identify where the wipes have come from and understandably many people are unhappy to pay towards the work required due to the actions of others.

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