Please visit our Trading Standards page on Facebook for scam alerts and other useful information or visit Trading Standards Scotland's scams page which is updated each week.
Cost of living scams
As prices continue to rise, be aware of the different types of cost of living scams. Find out more at Trading Standards Scotland: Cost of Living Scams.
Telecare service users
We've received further information from the Scottish Government's Digital Office about a scam targeting telecare service users who are moving to digital telecare.
Some telecare services users have had scam phone calls telling them that their current alarm is obsolete and asking them to pay for a new system.
Community alarm replacement
If you have a community alarm in your property, the alarm unit will need to be replaced by December 2025.
The replacement will take place as part of a planned roll out and you will be contacted by letter or phone call nearer the time. You will never be asked for payment over the phone for a replacement community alarm.
Find out more about nuisance calls in our bulletin.
General advice for avoiding phone, email and text scams
What to do if you receive cold calls or unsolicited emails or texts:
- Never press 1 or follow any other instructions given in an automated message.
- If you are speaking to a person:
- never give them any personal information
- never agree to make any payments
- never allow them to access your computer remotely
- Never click or tap on any buttons or links in unsolicited emails, even if they look official.
- Contact your bank immediately if you think you may have made a payment to a scammer or if you are worried that a fraudulent transaction has been made from your account. Use the phone number on your bank statement or a publicly listed number (never use a number given to you by a cold caller). To ensure that you are disconnected from the cold caller, phone another number such as 123 before phoning your bank or call them from another phone.
- Be wary when filling in online surveys or questionnaires through pop-up adverts on social media. These are used to generate leads for companies to cold call you.
- If you agree to a home visit by a trader following a cold call or online survey, you may want to ask a trusted friend or family member to be there with you to provide a second opinion.
- Never agree to a purchase or contract on the spot – get at least two other quotes from trusted companies.