Businesses beware: a warning to Garages and Vehicle Workshops from the Office of Fair Trading

The Isle of Man Office of Fair Trading has issued an urgent warning to garages and vehicle workshops to think twice before doing business with cold-callers who are offering access to computer-based technical information for those undertaking the servicing, maintenance and repairing of vehicles.

The OFT is aware of at least two men who are currently operating on this basis and visiting premises in the Island.

Chief Inspector of Trading Standards, John Peet said: “It may be that the individuals concerned are offering a genuine product, but this is highly unlikely given that they are cold-calling and insisting on payment by cash. Cold-callers can be very pushy, so make some basic checks before you purchase anything. Do they have a genuine VAT number? Is the product they are offering genuine? If they insist that they are licensed to sell the product concerned, ask to see the licence and check with whoever is supposed to have issued it that it is genuine.”

Anyone approached by these individuals is asked to contact Trading Standards on 686500.