West Mercia Police officers have issued an alert after receiving reports of a suspicious person knocking on doors in Sutton St Nicholas.
A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said:
We’ve had a report of a suspicious person in Sutton St Nicholas, who has been knocking on people’s doors. They were possibly believed to be cold calling for extra work. Please see the below advice from Trading Standards in relation to cold callers and your rights.
Doorstep Crime
Doorstep crime is when rogue traders come to your door uninvited and pressure you into buying something or signing up for work or a service you don’t need. They often target vulnerable and elderly residents, trying to sell the product or service in a way which can be very intimidating, the impact of which can cause emotional and financial repercussions.
Doorstep scammers aren’t always pushy and persuasive, they may seem polite or friendly. So if you’re not expecting someone it’s important to be vigilant when you answer the door, especially if you live on your own.
Some examples of door step crime are, traders who:
· Provide poor, low quality or dangerous work and refuse to correct or finish the work
· Tell you guttering, roofing, gardening or paving work must be done to your home as it is in need of urgent repair – this may cause you to panic and allow the work to take place
· Take your deposit and never return to do the work
· Charge unreasonable prices or increase the price of the work as the job progresses
· Don’t have cancellation policies or give cancellation notices, guarantees or warranties
Obviously, not all traders are out to scam you. Try to use a trader who’s been recommended to you by friends or family, or use the ‘Checkatrade’ website (https://www.checkatrade.com/) to search for a suitable trader near you.
How to deal with Cold Callers
· Think – Are you expecting anyone? If not, be extra cautious when answering the door.
· Lock your doors and use a door chain – Before going to the front door, check that your back door – and any other entry point – is locked. Some scams may involve someone gaining access through the back while you’re distracted at your doorstep.
· Check – If they identify themselves, as a representative for a firm or company, for example, ask for official identification. If they fail to provide any, then ask them to leave and not to return without identification.
· Don’t buy at the door – No matter who is calling or what they seem to be offering, it’s always wise not to buy anything from cold callers.
· Don’t be worried about saying ‘no’ – A simple no should be enough and you can do further research on the tradesmen and their company once they’ve left, reporting them if necessary.
· ‘No cold callers’ sign – An effective way to deter uninvited callers is to place a notice on your door, informing people that you won’t respond to or accept unsolicited callers. This will stop most callers from knocking on your door, and if one does so then you can simply refer them to the notice. If they don’t leave, you can report them. (Printable signs available online)
· Stay Calm – The main thing to keep in mind is to stay calm and remember that legitimate sellers and tradespeople should have no problem with you taking these precautions. If a cold caller complains or persists by trying to verbally persuade you to let them in, for instance, you should keep them out of your home and phone for help.
· Call the police – If you’re not in immediate danger but want to report an incident call 101. If you feel threatened or in danger call 999.
Please help us protect our communities by sharing this message with friends and family. Thank you.
Further advice is available from: Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Herefordshire Trading Standards and Action Fraud:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/scams/check-if-something-might-be-a-scam/
