South Gloucestershire Council Trading Standards are launching a pilot project whereby new technology is to be used to limit the amount of nuisance telephone calls received by older and vulnerable members of our community.
The telephone can be a lifeline for many, but it can also cause problems. Older and more vulnerable people spend more time at home so receive many more calls than the average household. For some these calls are a mere nuisance, but for others they can have a greater impact. Many do not have the resilience to stand up to high pressure sales tactics, be in a position to identify a scam or be aware of the issues surrounding identity theft. Many scams are perpetrated over the telephone, with victims being conned into sending money they can ill-afford to lose. There is also the non-financial impact to consider, with some people becoming anxious when the phone rings of even refusing to answer it at all.
The Trading Standards pilot project involves the use of call blocking units and we are looking for recipients who may benefit from the technology and who are willing to participate in this trial. The call blocking units will be loaned out for free and officers from Trading Standards will install them. There is no cost to the end user, but we do ask that they are willing to allow Trading Standards to monitor the blocked calls for research and data collection (call data only, no personal data will be stored.)
If you know someone who may be the victim of a scam (whether telephone, doorstep or mailing scam) or has a condition that could affect their ability to manage these calls effectively such as Dementia or mobility issues, please feel free to nominate them. They could be a family member, a friend or someone you care for. Please contact Trading Standards on 01454 864 570 or email trading.standards@southglos.gov.uk for a nomination form or for further information about the project.
Please note, due to the small size of this pilot project and the assessment criteria that needs to be met, not every nomination will receive a blocker. Trading Standards reserves the right to refuse a nomination on the grounds that nominee does not meet the specified criteria, a call blocker is not compatible with the telephone in situ or we have received the maximum number of successful nominations for this trial.
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