Phoney chargers cost shop thousands

Monday February 8, 2010

A batch of over 300 unsafe phone chargers has cost a Hammersmith shop thousands of pounds in fines.

Internet Call Point Limited, which has a shop in King Street, has been fined after director Aamir Mirza pleaded guilty to 22 counts of selling mobile phone chargers that failed legal safety compliance tests. 

The company was ordered to pay £2,200 – £100 for each offence – £800 in costs to H&F Council and a victim surcharge of £15 at West London Magistrates Court on January 16.

Trading Standards officers from Hammersmith & Fulham Council carried out spot-checks at six shops in King Street in October 2008, buying mobile phone chargers. Three of these shops were warned about selling dangerous and faulty goods.

The initial sample charger bought from Internet Call Point Limited failed safety tests and the following month 342 mobile phone chargers were seized by Trading Standards. Twenty-one out of the 22 chargers, which were chosen at random, failed safety tests. Problems included faulty wiring and shoddy soldering.

Internet Call Point Limited admitted that their system for checking products were safe and legal was not up to scratch.

Cllr Greg Smith, cabinet member for crime and street-scene, said: “There should be no shortcuts when it comes to safety. These phone chargers were incredibly dangerous and could have caused fires and serious injury.

“The majority of businesses follow the rules but the few rogue traders who ignore them are risking their customers’ safety for a quick buck. This prosecution shows though that we will catch up with you and we will make you pay.”