An Italian street trader, who visits the UK several times a year selling jackets he falsely claims are Armani, has been issued with a written warning by Pembrokeshire County Council’s Trading Standards.
Luca Ferrione sold three jackets for £180 to an elderly couple in the car park of the Asda store in Pembroke Dock in January this year.
He falsely claimed they were leather Armani jackets.
In fact they were of poor quality, 100 per cent PVC and carried a tag ‘Made in China’.
Ferrione failed to provide the couple with a receipt or provide them with a written notice informing them they had a 14-day ‘cooling-off’ period – a criminal offence.
Reports of similar approaches by Ferrione to people in Narberth were also received by Trading Standards officers in Pembrokeshire and he was arrested by police in February.
He told investigators that he bought the jackets from a wholesaler in London and travelled the country selling them.
No charges were brought after Ferrione agreed to refund the elderly couple but he received a written warning from the Council’s Trading Standards department.
Members of the public are warned to be vigilant if they are approached in a similar manner by any suspicious trader.
To report an incident, contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0345 4 040506 or 0345 4 040505 (Welsh language line).
