Brazen scammers have been trying to dupe Suffolk residents into buying bogus devices designed to block nuisance calls.

Suffolk Trading Standards said it had received a number of reports of residents being targeted by rogue companies trying to sell a device to stop nuisance calls.

Some fraudsters have claimed to be calling from official central opt-out register, the Telephone Preference Service, or to be working with the government.

A Trading Standards spokesman said: “Call blocking services can be a useful tool in helping consumers screen out nuisance or unwanted calls. But we are seeing an increase in the bogus selling of these services.

“Consumers are being cold-called by rogue companies using aggressive sales tactics and often offering substandard cold call blockers. Or worse still, taking their money for no product or service in return.”

For information on legitimate call blocking devices, click here

For Ofcom’s comprehensive guide to identifying and dealing with nuisance calls, click here