North Lanarkshire Council and Dundee City Council are today looking forward to starting their campaign against Scotland's dodgy dealers.

 

The two authorities will be working in partnership, backed by more than £810,000 of Government funding, to crack down on conmen, counterfeiters and cowboys.

 

Headed up by North Lanarkshire Council and based in North Lanarkshire and Dundee, the specialist unit will be made up of trading standards professionals and will work with local authorities and police forces across Scotland.

 

Consumer Affairs Minister Gareth Thomas said: "Rogue traders who con honest people out of their hard earned money are a disgrace. This new unit will help to shut these conmen down and bring them to justice.

 

"It will concentrate on the most serious scams, those that cause consumers the biggest problems, but are often beyond the capacity of local councils working alone to deal with."

 

Dave Roderick, Trading Standards Manager with North Lanarkshire Council, welcomed the opportunity to make a real difference to the number of serious scam artists operating in Scotland, and to be part of such an important national initiative.

 

"It's a fantastic opportunity to extend working practices across new partnerships and improve the way we operate as a result," he said. "This team will demonstrate new ways of working through targeted, proactive, intelligence-led enforcement.

 

"We will also be working with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), the Benefits Agency and other organisations so that relevant information is shared and unnecessary duplication of effort is avoided."

 

Ken Daly, Trading Standards Manager at Dundee City Council also expressed his delight at the opportunity to work as part of the Scottish Scambusters team, saying: "A two-centre approach will ensure this initiative will cover the whole of Scotland and provide benefits to both consumers and honest traders across the country."

 

The Scottish team is part of a nationwide initiative that represents a Government investment of approximately £7.5 million. A national roll-out covering Scotland and Wales follows the success of pilot projects in London, the Midlands, and the North East, South East and East of England. Since September 2006 their work is estimated to have saved consumers £3million

 

"Initial trials of this initiative have produced some very impressive results south of the border, and I look forward to seeing similar achievements in Scotland," said North Lanarkshire Councillor Helen McKenna, Convener of the council's Environmental Services Commitee.

 

"North Lanarkshire and Dundee Councils have done superbly well to secure the task of delivering this vitally important project. It's testament to their dedication, determination and professionalism, and I am absolutely confident that it will not be long before we start to see some excellent results arising from their work.

 

"I wish them every success in their efforts to make life harder for con men, counterfeiters and criminals – and therefore to making it easier for the people of Scotland."

 

Consumers who wish to report scams or suspicious activity can report the matter to Trading Standards via the national Consumer Direct helpline on 08454 04 05 06.

 

Notes for Editors

 

·        The Government grant will be over three years to the Society of Chief Trading Standards Officers in Scotland

 

·        The new team is part of a nationwide crackdown. The Government is investing approximately £7.5 million in new Scambusters teams so that Wales, Scotland and each of the nine Government regions in England have a team