Local Euro MP presses Parliament to get to grips with telephone and internet scams

3.30.35pm GMT Tue 1st Feb 2005

Local Lib Dem MEP Diana Wallis is pressing for changes to legislation going through the European Parliament to deal with telephone prize scams and rogue internet trading. This comes on the day when the Office of Fair Trading announced that British consumers lose a £1bn a year to various marketing scams often originating overseas.

Diana Wallis MEP, a member of the Internal Market Committee, says, "I imagine all of us have experienced the problem of incessant and unwanted phone calls telling us we have won a prize. Then of course when the number is rung back the caller is strung along for a premium phone call usually lasting several minutes. Many of these traders base themselves in another country to escape action. My amendment will help to get to grips with this at home and abroad.

"Also there have been a number of instances of consumers misleading other consumers through websites such as eBay with vendors posing as a private seller or a seller's agent when they actually are acting as a business or trade."

"As consumers they fall outside the normal consumer protection legislation and so no redress is available. Again my amendment will cover this malpractice."

Ms. Wallis MEP has tabled these amendments to the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (so-called Bresso Report). The Internal Market Committee will consider the amendments and vote tomorrow Wednesday 2nd February. Both amendments are likely to be passed.