Which? Consumer magazine have published a report on unsafe Christmas Lights purchased from popular online retailers:

“Buying affordable Christmas lights might feel like a prudent financial move at such an expensive time of year. But 10 of the 12 sets of Christmas lights we bought from AliExpress, Amazon, eBay and Wish failed to meet the requirements of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations in our tests and legally shouldn’t be sold in the UK.

Two sets of lights in particular would be dangerous for anyone using them. And one set of lights bought from a seller on Wish was so badly made that it posed an electric shock risk to anyone using it and was a fire hazard.
Another bought through AliExpress presented an electric shock risk to users based on its very poor build quality. And eight further sets of lights, including two each from Amazon and eBay, failed basic compliance checks, making it illegal to sell them in the UK.

Only two sets of lights, one bought from Amazon and one from eBay, passed all of our tests and are legal to be sold and safe to use.”

To continue reading the article, please follow the link below which identifies the items mentioned:

Beware illegal Christmas lights sold at AliExpress, Amazon, eBay and Wish – Which?

How to know if your Christmas lights are dangerous 

• Check your lights aren’t damaged when unpacking your decorations.
• Look for things like loose wires, smashed bulbs or a broken control box.
• If your lights need replacement bulbs, make sure you use the same type when you replace them.
• Switch your lights off when you go out and when you go to bed.
• Keep your lights away from anything that can burn easily.
• If your lights look like they’ve seen better days, recycle them and buy a new set from an online or high street retailer you trust.

Please remember to report any scam to Action Fraud 0300 123 2040.

If you have actually been the victim of a trader or scam such as the above and need help, or you require consumer advice, please call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline 0808 223 1133

Fake emails purporting to be from DVLA are being used to lure people into giving away their bank details.

The latest dodgy DVLA email tries to create a sense of urgency with the subject line: ‘Vehicle Tax Status – Unpaid!’ and uses the Gov.uk logo to appear genuine. The email goes on to say:

‘Dear [your email address]. Your bank has declined twice the latest Direct Debit payment. If you will not update your information, your vehicle is no longer taxed.’

The email includes a link, which states: ‘In order to continue to the payment page please use the following link.’

If you click on this link, malware could be downloaded onto your device, or you may be taken to a website that asks for your personal data.

Please remember to report any scam to Action Fraud 0300 123 2040.

If you have actually been the victim of a trader or scam such as the above and need help, or you require consumer advice, please call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline 0808 223 1133

Fake emails purporting to be from TV Licensing are being used to lure people into giving away their bank details.

Scammers are sending fake emails using the official TV Licensing logo. The first email encourages the recipient to update their direct debit details.

In a second dodgy ‘TV Licensing email, scammers tempt recipients into clicking on a link and giving away their bank details under the guise of claiming a refund.

The email reads: ‘You are eligible to receive a tv license refund but due to invalid records, we were unable to credit your account. Please submit the request and allow us 5-7 days to process it.’

The URL included in the email starts with www.tvlicensing.co.uk (the official TV Licensing website) but also includes ‘.cs.update.your.licence’ followed by a series of random letters.

TV Licensing confirmed that these emails are not genuine. It said genuine emails and letters are personalised to include information such as your name, part of your postcode or your licence number.

Please remember to report any scam to Action Fraud 0300 123 2040.
If you have actually been the victim of a trader or scam such as the above and need help, or you require consumer advice, please call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline 0808 223 1133