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UPDATES: CTSI is urging urgent regulation of the booming cosmetic IV drip sector after a Channel 4 investigation exposed widespread safety failings. Unsupervised glutathione drips are being offered in salons and online, with users suffering serious health risks. Trading Standards is calling for a licensing scheme and stricter oversight to protect consumers from this unregulated “wild west” of beauty treatments ...

UPDATES: CTSI is urging ministers to regulate intravenous cosmetic treatments after an investigation exposed widespread safety failings, highlighting growing concerns over unregulated aesthetic procedures and consumer harm.

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UPDATES: A builder who took up to £160,000 from homeowners and abandoned jobs mid-project has been jailed for 12 months following a Trading Standards investigation. John Arnold left properties unsafe, supplied false certificates, and caused significant stress to victims - earning a decade-long director ban and sending a stark warning to rogue tradespeople exploiting local residents ...

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ANALYSIS: Local authorities are on the frontline of fighting fraud – but they’re increasingly under cyber-attack themselves. From ransomware and data breaches to AI-powered deepfakes, the threats are growing fast. Why are councils such attractive targets, and what can Trading Standards teams do to protect themselves, their data and the public they serve? ...

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ANALYSIS: What began as a routine illicit tobacco check exploded into one of Wales’ biggest organised crime cases. Operation Usk exposed a £3.8m fraud network hidden behind everyday shops - and led to threats, intimidation and years of relentless investigation. This is the inside story of how Trading Standards helped take down a criminal empire, at huge personal cost ...

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ANALYSIS: Scam calls and emails feel routine - but behind many of them lies a brutal reality. This article reveals how global fraud is powered by human trafficking, forced labour and violence inside scam centres, and why governments and agencies are now racing to dismantle the criminal networks exploiting victims on both sides of the screen ...

OPINION: Behind the scenes, dedicated individuals help shape the profession. This profile celebrates Brian Stone's long service to the College of Fellows and the quiet influence of those who keep vital institutions running.

UPDATES: A repeat offending builder has received a custodial sentence after leaving homeowners with dangerous, incomplete work, reinforcing the consequences of serious consumer protection breaches.

OPINION: Martyn James reflects on a career spent explaining consumer rights to the public, from financial scandals and media work to the growing threat of AI-enabled fraud. His conversation underlines why clear, memorable advice matters when consumers are overwhelmed, anxious or unsure where to turn.

ANALYSIS: Scam centres across Southeast Asia expose a darker reality behind online fraud, where many perpetrators are themselves trafficking victims trapped by organised crime. The piece examines how globalised scams damage UK consumers while exploiting vulnerable workers, and why enforcement responses must recognise both sides of that harm.