Laura Sharman 10 October 2016

Scam mattresses ‘potential death traps’, councils warn

There has been an increase in complaints about cheap, ‘fireball’ mattresses being sold online or from the back of a van, councils say.

The Local Government Association (LGA) has warned against purchasing these ‘van scam’ mattresses because they pose a serious fire risk and are often unhygienic.

They are frequently old, discarded mattresses that have been repackaged with genuine brand names, and often have fake fire-resistant labels.

Sellers offer them at dramatically discounted rates and argue they are discounted stock or a local hotel ordered too many.

‘These unscrupulous traders have no interest in the safety of the products they sell and some have now taken to selling mattresses which could create a fireball in people’s homes if they catch light,’ said Cllr Simon Blackburn, chair of the LGA’s safer and stronger communities board.

‘These fly-by-night sellers don’t care about the risks these mattresses pose, they just want to make a quick buck and leave you with phoney details so they can’t be traced.

‘Some councils have reported a recent surge in mattress scam complaints but many victims won’t realise they have been conned and could be sleeping on a potential death trap.’

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