If in doubt, keep them out!
South Yorkshire Police and Sheffield Trading Standards are warning communities to look out for elderly and vulnerable relatives and neighbours, to ensure unscrupulous doorstep callers, bogus officials or rogue traders don’t try and take advantage.
Bogus officials will use emergency situations to gain access to homes in order to steal money and personal belongings.
Rogue traders will seek to take advantage of the changing weather and target vulnerable consumers for roofing work and garden clearance services often at over exaggerated prices.
Philip Glaves from Sheffield City Council’s Trading Standards department says “Whilst these types of incidents can happen to anyone within a community, typically, it is the elderly and vulnerable that fall victim to this type of crime. We would like to remind householders that these crimes are preventable. And by following a few simple guidelines you could avoid becoming a victim of doorstep crime.”
- ALWAYS keep your doors locked at all times to prevent people entering your home uninvited.
- ALWAYS check the identity of officials you are expecting. Do this by keeping a list of your utility companies the police and local authority switchboards telephone numbers near to your phone and using this list to check if someone is genuine.
- NEVER open your door to someone you are not expecting, even if they say it's an emergency. Don't open the door ask them to make an official appointment.
- NEVER keep large amounts of money in your home.
- NEVER buy anything at your door, or set on a workman at your door, no matter how attractive the offer may be and no matter how sorry you feel for the trader, buying at the door could be more costly.
If householders are concerned work is required at their properties or wish to report doorstep callers, they should contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06. If householders feel they have been a victim a bogus official please contact 0114 2 20 20 20.
In emergencies, you should contact the police on 999.
