Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 3...

Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 31 to 40.

As winter approaches and energy bills continue to soar, consumers are being targeted by an insidious and dangerous scam involving “energy-saving plugs.” These deceptive devices, marketed under aliases like “eco-plugs” or “voltage regulators,” are insistently promoted on social media and through unsolicited cold calls. [I] They make spurious claims of curtailing household electricity costs by 30% or more by supposedly optimizing the flow of electricity. The marketing is often deceptively sophisticated, frequently bolstered by fabricated Trustpilot reviews and phony endorsements from supposed experts, creating a veneer of legitimacy designed to prey on vulnerable households.

The reality, however, is that consumers face invariably negative outcomes. According to financial crime manager Siobhan Blagbrough, many victims are duped into paying hundreds for a gadget that simply never arrives. In other instances, a cheap, useless piece of plastic is delivered that has no discernible effect on energy consumption. [II] Blagbrough offers a simple logical test: “If a device really could cut energy bills by hundreds of pounds, it would be sold by major retailers and recommended by trusted consumer groups. The fact that it’s being flogged on social media or through cold calls is the red flag.”

For those who do receive an item, the device itself often poses a significant physical danger. Consumer watchdogs like Which? have repeatedly found these items—sold widely online for under £10—fail basic UK safety standards. Forensic investigations reveal shoddy workmanship, poor-quality soldering, substandard components, and dangerously short pins that can snap off easily. These critical defects create a substantial risk of the devices overheating, which can easily precipitate house fires. [III] The items are therefore not just ineffectual; they are actively hazardous.

The fraud also frequently functions as a pretext for more pernicious crimes. Criminals often use the purchase process itself as a ruse to harvest sensitive credit card details, perpetrating further financial fraud long after the initial transaction. [IV] Experts categorically advise consumers to disregard these offers. For those genuinely seeking to reduce energy consumption, the only prudent course of action is to invest in verified, effective measures. Focusing on proven solutions like improving home insulation, optimizing boiler settings, or installing smart thermostats is the only reliable way to achieve energy efficiency, and any fraudulent ads should be reported immediately to local trading standards offices.

Question 31: According to paragraph 1, the sophisticated marketing of the fraudulent “eco-plugs” is deliberately engineered to ______.

A. make spurious claims about optimizing the flow of household electricity
B. be insistently promoted on social media and through unsolicited cold calls
C. fabricate the Trustpilot reviews and supposed expert endorsements
D. take advantage of the financial distress affecting susceptible consumers