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A Middlesbrough man has today (15 May 2026) been sentenced at Teesside Crown Court to an eight-month suspended prison sentence and ordered to complete 140 hours of unpaid work after taking more than £16,000 from customers across the UK for doors and furniture that were never delivered.
Read MoreA woman has been jailed for running a Ponzi‑style holiday fraud in Portsmouth that left people almost £300,000 out of pocket.
Read MoreA man who made fake education and professional certificates has today (13 March 2026) been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment at York Crown Court following an investigation by the National Trading Standards eCrime Team. His criminal operation, which ran for over a decade, led people around the world to secure skilled jobs they were not qualified for.
Read MoreToday (20 February 2026) at York Crown Court, a man who ran a sham recruitment service that tricked jobseekers into paying for fake DBS and criminal record checks has been sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment for laundering the proceeds of the scam. He will serve 40% of the sentence in custody, with time already spent on remand counting towards that period. This follows an investigation by the National Trading Standards eCrime Team.
Read MoreA man has been sentenced at Leeds Crown Court today (Tuesday 10 February) for laundering more than £580,000 as part of a large-scale computer support scam that saw over £2 million transferred to fraudsters overseas. The fraud affected several hundred victims across the UK, many of whom were misled into paying for unnecessary or meaningless computer “repairs” at hugely inflated prices.
Read MoreChilling new wave of AI-assisted fraud targets older people and clones their voices
Read MoreArthur Draper, 41, of no fixed address, has been sentenced to a three-year custodial sentence at St Albans Crown Court today. Draper pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud following a series of cold-calling incidents that sought to defraud homeowners of a total of £141,900, with £90,200 obtained via cheques and bank transfers.
Read MoreA new enforcement approach between National Trading Standards (NTS), local authority Trading Standards, Scottish Trading Standards Services and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has led to more than £1.4 million in civil penalties being issued to retailers and individuals involved in the sale of illicit tobacco.
Read MoreA rogue builder is facing time behind bars after carrying out a string of fraud offences against his customers, leaving them over £30,000 out of pocket.
Read MoreMore than 20 million* UK adults have signed up to a subscription without realising it, and of these, 4.7 million are STILL paying for a subscription they didn’t ask for, according to new figures released today by National Trading Standards**. The data reveal the widespread impact of so-called ‘silent scams’ that involve low value but high-volume thefts.
Read MoreAs millions prepare to drive home for Christmas, National Trading Standards is urging motorists to ensure they pay road tolls only on official websites, as new research* finds that a third of Brits risk landing on copycat sites that charge over the odds – and 17% of those who believed they’d paid for government services online were fined for non-payment.
Read MoreFather and son roofers Jim Janes and Thomas Michael Jim James have today (Wednesday 17 December) been sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, for their part in a roofing scam which targeted more than 48 homeowners across South and West Wales between 2020 and 2025.
Read MoreTwo men who drove a wide-reaching rogue fish-selling network operating out of County Durham have been sentenced today (12 December 2025) at Teesside Crown Court for fraudulent trading offences.
Read MoreA fraudulent loft insulation operation has been brought to justice after misleading elderly homeowners across four counties. Riva Surveyors Ltd has been ordered to pay £48,891 in fines and compensation, while senior salesman Justin Brason received a suspended prison sentence for his part in the scam.
Read MoreEight members of an organised crime group have been sentenced to a combined total of 13 years and 6 months for defrauding East Midlands residents.
Read MoreThree men have been convicted following a major investigation into fraudulent trading practices targeting elderly and vulnerable people.
Read MoreNew study calls for better understanding and support for neurodivergent victims
Read MoreUK shoppers have bought almost 100 million items* on the back of glowing online reviews – only to be bitterly disappointed when they arrive, and 6.4 million have lost money to a scam after buying something from clicking on a fake online advert, according to new data** released by National Trading Standards (NTS) ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Read MoreTwo men who ran more than 40 misleading websites that tricked people into overpaying for government services, including for the Dartford Crossing and the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), have been sentenced today at Bristol Crown Court following an investigation by National Trading Standards (NTS).
Read MoreA businessman ripped off customers by falsely telling them they would get a government grant or discount for external wall insulation at their properties.
Read MoreTwo Redbridge brothers have been sentenced to over four years in prison for their roles in a sophisticated fraud and money laundering scheme that targeted elderly homeowners. The sentencing follows a multi-year investigation led by Redbridge Council’s Trading Standards Team, with support from National Trading Standards.
Read MoreFive men have today (10 October) been sentenced to a combined sentence of over 13 years at Bristol Crown Court for their roles in a large-scale fraud and money laundering operation which targeted older and vulnerable victims across Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Herefordshire.
Read MoreA North East based ‘builder’ who knowingly scammed the public out of more than £130,000 has received a five-year prison sentence from Newcastle Magistrates in a case compiled by Northumberland Trading Standards and National Trading Standards.
Read MoreYesterday, 5 August, at St Albans Crown Court, three people were convicted of fraudulent trading relating to a complex wine fraud run by Imperial Wine & Spirits Merchant Ltd, previously Imperial Wines of London Ltd, following an investigation by Hertfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards team.
Read MoreFollowing the BBC Panorama investigation into conditional selling, a spokesperson for the National Trading Standards Estate Agency Team said:
Read MoreFour men from Birmingham have today (11 April 2025) been handed a combined 7 ½ year sentence at Birmingham Crown Court after pleading guilty to charges related to counterfeiting goods, including Adidas, Nike and Chanel clothing and accessories.
Read MoreFive individuals have been hit with a range of sentences in one of the longest and most complex Trading Standards prosecutions in the UK.
Read MoreNew data published today by National Trading Standards reveal supposedly nicotine free vapes on sale to UK consumers have been found to contain nicotine. The findings have been published as Trading Standards continue to unearth new intelligence around the illegal vapes market.
Read MoreMore than a million illegal vapes were seized by Trading Standards in 2023/2024, new data released from National Trading Standards (NTS) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) shows.
Read More#NoBlameNoShame campaign launched to encourage people to talk about scams
Read MoreRevised guidance has been published by the National Trading Standards Estate & Letting Agency Team with regard to supplementary terms used when marketing properties.
Read MoreNational Trading Standards is encouraging members of the public to send in scam mail in a ‘Scamnesty’ running until 23 December.
Read MoreA Black Friday crackdown by enforcement bodies and Meta has been launched to remove listings of potential counterfeit products from Instagram in the run-up to Black Friday.
Read MoreNational Trading Standards highlights threats to look out for as criminals exploit cost-of-living fears.
Read MoreCompensation roll-out begins following landmark investigation.
Read MoreThe National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT) has published new guidance to help agents ensure they are meeting their requirements under Part A of the process to improve material information in property listings.
Read MoreNational Trading Standards scheme reaches ‘one million Friends’ milestone and saves society £59m.
Read MoreNational Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT) has today published its opinion*, developed with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), that the use of ‘POA’ or ‘price on application’ in property listings (principally sales listings) contravenes consumer protection legislation.
Read MoreThe National Trading Standards Board is delighted to confirm that Lord Michael Bichard will take over as the Chair of National Trading Standards from 1 June 2022.
Read MoreIllegal tobacco products worth more than £7 million have been seized in the first year* of a major crackdown on the illicit tobacco trade by National Trading Standards (NTS) and HMRC.
Read MoreA property's council tax band or rate and the property price and tenure information (for sales) must be included on all property listings by the end of May 2022 and these data fields will start to appear on portals over the coming weeks.These changes represent the first phase of a project by the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team, in partnership with industry leaders and the UK’s major property portals*, to define what constitutes material information for property listings.
Read MoreWhatsApp enlists ‘Scambassador’ Joel Dommett to encourage the British public to Stop. Think. Call. before responding to a suspicious message that may be a scam
Read MoreMore than five million illegal cigarettes have been seized from local retail outlets in the first six months of the year as part of Operation CeCe, a joint initiative between National Trading Standards and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to tackle the illegal tobacco trade.
Read MoreA new operation has been launched to tackle the growing number of illegal puppy farms following a multi-agency investigation led by National Trading Standards and Trading Standards Wales.
Read MoreA new initiative is launched to crack down on criminals using self-storage facilities fraudulently.
Read MoreMore than two thirds of British adults (36 million) have been targeted by a scammer since January, new research by Citizens Advice has found.
Read MoreNew findings highlight a surge in the proportion of scam and nuisance calls as callers target people over the age of 70 to exploit new and unfamiliar processes associated with COVID-19, such as applying for swab tests and vaccines.
Read MoreScamnesty launched to turn the tables on criminals
Read MoreReview into referral fees in the estate agency industry published
Read MoreAnyone can be the victim of a scam, however some people are more vulnerable to scams and criminals will use this to their advantage.
Read MoreWarning issued as criminals exploit new fraud opportunities
Read MoreThe number of knives sold to children by national retailers appears to have fallen significantly, according to new test purchasing data published by National Trading Standards.
Read MoreAs COVID-19 lockdown measures start to ease, National Trading Standards is predicting a rise in scam telephone calls as illegitimate call centres around the world get back to work.
Read MoreMore than 100 organisations are spearheading a new initiative to combat fraud against businesses as more companies and employees adjust to working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing their exposure to sophisticated business scams.
Read MoreMalicious email attachments, false government grant phone calls and CEO impersonation scams are among a raft of scams undermining businesses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read MoreUnscrupulous criminals are exploiting fears about COVID-19 to prey on members of the public, particularly older and vulnerable people who are isolated from family and friends. National Trading Standards is warning people to remain vigilant following a rise in coronavirus-related scams that seek to benefit from the public’s concern and uncertainty over COVID-19.
Read MoreA new approach to handling complaints about ads for property raffles has been agreed by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT).
Read MoreThe National Trading Standards Estate & Letting Agency Team and The Property Ombudsman have today launched a survey to assess awareness and uptake of the transparency rules around referral fees linked to property buying and selling.
Read MoreOrganised crime groups are playing an increased role in doorstep crime and other scams, according to the annual Consumer Harm Report published today by National Trading Standards.
Read MoreNational Trading Standards and Lloyds Banking Group have today announced a new partnership designed to prevent people falling victim to scams.
Read MorePrime Minister Theresa May announces plan to give elderly and vulnerable people hi-tech devices to block nuisance calls.
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