Latest alerts from Kent Trading Standards - 12 December 2025

Dear Kent Residents

The holidays are a prime time for scammers.

Many vulnerable individuals, such as older family members, are not online and may miss vital scam alerts during the festive season—such as fake delivery texts, bogus charity appeals, and doorstep cons.

You can make a difference! Teacher in Your Pocket (TEPO) is an innovative initiative designed to reach those who are not online. It provides short, practical videos that you can share directly from your mobile phone with a vulnerable neighbour, loved one, or client—helping to keep them safe and informed.

📱 You become the messenger. Your mobile phone becomes the teacher.
▶️ Explore and share TEPO guidance here.

For scam alerts as they are issued please add us on Instagram or Facebook.

Thank you.

Mark Rolfe
Head of Community Protection

⚠️ Criminals have been calling residents across Kent impersonating police officers.

📞 Residents are being called and told:
- Their bank account has been compromised
- Their card needs replacing
- A family member has been arrested
- They must buy gold
- A courier will collect their card, cash, or gold.

🚨 These are scams. The police will never ask for your financial details over the phone or send someone to collect your card, cash, or valuables.

📽️ Watch how this scam works.

If this happens to you:
☎️ Call your bank immediately using 159
➡️ Report it to Kent Police

⚠️URGENT SAFETY WARNING - Do you use a tumble dryer?

🚨Households with integrated heat-pump tumble dryers from Baumatic, Candy, Caple, Haier, Hoover, Lamona, Iberna, or Montpellier must stop using them immediately due to a serious fire risk.

🔥 An internal short circuit during normal operation can ignite the machine.

If your dryer was previously “repaired,” it may still be unsafe. Haier has paused the initial fix and launched an updated safety repair. They’re now contacting the remaining 85,000 households with at-risk machines.

What you need to do:
✅Turn off and unplug your tumble dryer.
✅Check the model and serial number on the dryer.
✅Contact the manufacturer to arrange a free, urgent repair.
✅Do not use the appliance until the fix is completed.

➡️ Click here for full details and to check your model.

⚠️ OXO Good Grips Pasta Scoop Strainer presenting a serious health risk.

Tests found high levels of a chemical called primary aromatic amine (PAA) in the product, which can cause cancer.

🔴Product Details
Brand: OXO
Model/SKU: 11338300UK
Barcode: 840097702735
Sales Period: January 2024 - October 2025

✅Advice for consumers
Stop using this product immediately and return it to the point of sale for redress.

If you have information on doorstep criminals, counterfeit, fake or illegal goods, illicit tobacco, loan sharks or those selling restricted items to underage kids, call the charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111

To report scams and get advice on consumer issues call Citizen’s Advice consumer helpline on
0808 223 1133.

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