POLICE have issued a warning to residents to not buy goods or services after an elderly woman was pressured into getting her driveway redone for an ‘over-inflated price’.
The incident happened at the property on Stourbridge Road when the resident agreed initially to pay the cold-caller £5,200.
But, the man returned the next day around 8am to inform her that the price had gone up to £10,100.
Police believe she was pressured into signing an agreement for the second higher amount and are investigating the incident for fraud.
Following the incident, Insp Richard Field from the Bromsgrove Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT), said: “Doorstep crime can include rogue traders offering home improvement or gardening services, or bogus callers who claim to be the council, police, health carers or energy companies.
“They often pick on the most vulnerable in our society who often pressure people into signing contracts, paying up front or charging an extortionate price once the work is completed.
“I would urge everyone to be mindful of rouge traders and to report any concerns to the police and to consider signing up vulnerable neighbours to the ‘Nominated Neighbour’ scheme run by Bromsgrove District Council.”
Nominated Neighbour scheme
Nominated Neighbour uses bright yellow window stickers to show potential house callers that they will only been seen if the person being offered the good or service is accompanied by a person they know and trust and the caller’s identity has been verified by that person.
All it takes is a neighbour, family friend or family member to agree to be nominated and have callers directed to them.
The scheme deters non-genuine callers, who will not want their identity to be checked.
Visit bromsgrove.gov.uk/keeping-safe/giving-cold-callers-the-cold-shoulder.aspx for more on that scheme.
Click here to check out West Mercia Police’s advice on preventing personal fraud and click here for Worcestershire Trading Standards.
