Following a recent case where two men were convicted of conning an elderly man out of £147,000 police are advising how to avoid being duped by bogus callers.
The team of phoney builders, who relentlessly harassed elderly men into paying extortionate prices for unnecessary renovation on their homes, have been jailed this week, following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service’s London Crime Squad.
We see these stories often on daytime television but unless you have been a victim of the constant harassment by these bogus callers it is difficult to understand how persuasive they can be.
The Metropolitan Police have the following advice for homeowners who are approached by builders:
“Never agree to have building work carried out by a stranger who approaches you. If you think you need work done at your home, find a reputable builder for yourself. Politely but firmly decline any offers you receive from callers claiming to be tradesmen. Never let them into your home. If they won’t go away, call police on 999.”
“If you have already had work carried out by a builder who you are not sure is legitimate, make sure that their work has been done properly. Rogue traders are normally not trained and don’t carry out work properly, so they may have left your house in an unsafe condition.”
“If you think you are the victim of a rogue trader, call police on 101 or, if the crime is in action, call 999.”
“If you are the friend, relative or neighbour of someone vulnerable who has accepted building work from a door-to-door tradesman, encourage them to check that the traders are legitimate. If possible, sit in when they are visited by the traders and check their legitimacy yourself.”
It is not just builders who can con money out of people. There are others who you need to be wary of.
Bogus callers succeed because they sound believable, so don’t be fooled. Make sure in your own mind that they are who they claim to be by following these simple steps:
• Think before you open the door – use your chain and spy hole or look out of the window to see if you recognise them.
• Ask callers for proof of identity. Genuine tradesmen should carry an identification card with their photograph on. Check this carefully. If you are unsure, telephone the company the caller claims to represent.
• The Utilities now offer a password identification system. Any caller from one of these companies should be able to give a pre-arranged password as additional proof of identity.
• Beware of callers who attempt to distract you by claiming that they have seen something untoward in your rear garden or somewhere that may encourage you to leave your house – they may have an accomplice awaiting this distraction.
• If you are not convinced of the identity of the caller, don’t let them in. Ask the caller to come back later and arrange for a friend, relative or neighbour to be present on their return or ask the caller to contact this person.
Treat every stranger with caution. If you are worried, dial 999 immediately and ask for the police.
