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Journal of Trading Standards, Online Edition - JoTS Online

Welcome to the Journal of Trading Standards online edition, JoTS Online. Browse through our latest Articles - including Analysis, Opinion Pieces, Features and a selection of articles from our acclaimed print journal.

Although many JoTS Online articles are open access (public), others are exclusive to CTSI Members - in which case, you'll need to login to access them. If you aren't a member of CTSI yet, you can join us here. And, if you'd like to contribute articles or suggest topics for us to cover, please email our Editorial Team.

Latest JoTS Online Articles : 

News Category Tags: Crime, Product Safety, Health and Safety, Counterfeit Goods, Retail, Animal Health and Welfare, Legal and Policy, Enforcement Practice, Product Recalls, Property and Housing, Automotive, Vapes, Business, CTSI Conference, CTSI Hero Awards.

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Isle of Wight rogue trader jailed

Posted: 30 March 2023

UPDATES: An Isle of Wight rogue trader who bullied and deceived victims has been jailed after a lengthy trading standards investigation that pieced together the evidence needed to bring him before the courts.
 

Illicit vapes 'new battleground'

Posted: 24 March 2023

UPDATES: Lincolnshire Trading Standards says illicit vapes have become a new enforcement battleground, with seizure figures showing how quickly non-compliant products have moved to the centre of local product safety work.
 

Builder jailed for money laundering

Posted: 03 March 2023

UPDATES: A rogue builder has been jailed for money laundering after a Trading Standards investigation into dangerously substandard building work traced more than £63,000 paid by a homeowner through his bank account.
 

HotSW TS seizes illicit tobacco

Posted: 24 February 2023

UPDATES: Intelligence that illegal tobacco and vapes were being sold to children prompted a joint raid in Taunton, leading to significant seizures as investigators continued efforts to disrupt the illicit trade.
 

Suspended sentence for COVID fraudster

Posted: 17 February 2023

UPDATES: Southwark Trading Standards’ prosecution of Bishop Climate Wiseman exposed the sale of £91 bottles of ‘Plague Protection Oil’ falsely promoted as a COVID-19 cure. The case shows how officers balanced community sensitivity, expert evidence and legal preparation to tackle dangerous health claims during the pandemic.
 

Rogue builder jailed for fraud offences

Posted: 15 February 2023

UPDATES: Southwark Trading Standards’ investigation into rogue builder Richard Nicholls revealed more than £1.1m in losses, unfinished and dangerous work, and victims left financially and emotionally devastated. His three-year prison sentence followed support from the National Trading Standards Tri Regional Investigation Team and detailed financial evidence.
 

Suffolk TS secures victim compensation

Posted: 15 February 2023

UPDATES: Suffolk Trading Standards has secured £50,000 in compensation for victims of David Waters, whose mobility furniture company took deposits from elderly and disabled consumers but failed to deliver. The payout follows his fraud conviction and underlines the team’s work beyond prosecution to recover money for those harmed.
 

Illicit tobacco seized in NE Lincs

Posted: 13 February 2023

UPDATES: North East Lincolnshire Trading Standards and Humberside Police have seized illegal cigarettes, tobacco, shisha and disposable vapes from five businesses in Grimsby and Cleethorpes. The Operation CeCe raids removed products worth tens of thousands of pounds and continued a local enforcement drive against illicit tobacco sales.
 

Leicestershire rogue builder jailed

Posted: 06 February 2023

UPDATES: A builder from Leicestershire has been handed a four-year prison sentence after being found guilty of fraud offences....
 

Jail for Oxfordshire rogue roofers

Posted: 24 January 2023

UPDATES: Rogue traders who targeted an elderly homeowner with worthless roofing work have been jailed after expert evidence exposed the scale of the fraud.
 

Illicit vapes seized at Kent border

Posted: 23 January 2023

UPDATES: A major border operation intercepted more than 315,000 illegal vaping devices, highlighting the scale of the illicit market and the growing importance of coordinated enforcement at ports.
 

Illicit tobacco retailer sentenced

Posted: 17 January 2023

UPDATES: A retailer has been sentenced after repeated discoveries of illicit cigarettes and tobacco worth more than £8,000, highlighting the consequences of illegal tobacco sales and sustained Trading Standards enforcement.
 

Shop owners fined for illegal vapes

Posted: 13 January 2023

UPDATES: Two business owners have been fined after illegal vaping products were discovered on their premises, highlighting enforcement action against non-compliant retailers.
 

Franchise fraudsters found guilty

Posted: 10 January 2023

UPDATES: Fraudsters behind a payroll franchise scheme have been found guilty after selling costly licences that failed to deliver, bringing a lengthy Trading Standards investigation to court.
 

Salford seizes 80,000 illegal e-cigs

Posted: 16 December 2022

UPDATES: A multi-agency operation in Salford uncovered around 80,000 illegal disposable e-cigarettes, highlighting the growing scale of illicit vape sales and the coordinated enforcement effort needed to tackle them.
 

Rising risk of loan fee scams

Posted: 14 December 2022

UPDATES: New FCA research warns that fraudsters are increasingly exploiting time pressure and upfront 'loan fee' demands to target vulnerable borrowers, with practical advice on recognising and avoiding these scams.
 

TSS serves up A-Z list of scams

Posted: 07 December 2022

UPDATES: Trading Standards Scotland has published an A-Z guide to the latest scams, helping consumers recognise fraud ranging from phishing emails and bogus websites to cold calls designed to steal personal and financial information.
 

Doorstep criminals sentenced

Posted: 17 November 2022

UPDATES: Three doorstep fraudsters who targeted elderly residents have been sentenced after a Trading Standards prosecution exposed a pattern of pressure selling, unfinished work and financial exploitation.
 

Steer clear of loan sharks, TS urges

Posted: 10 November 2022

UPDATES: Trading Standards is urging people facing financial pressure to avoid illegal lenders, highlighting the dangers of loan sharks and the support available for those in debt.
 

Scams: Millions face financial disaster

Posted: 03 November 2022

UPDATES: National Trading Standards warns that the cost-of-living crisis is making consumers more vulnerable to scams, counterfeit goods and doorstep crime, with even a £100 loss enough to push many into serious hardship.