Warning over conmen in Caithness after elderly couple almost left £600 out of pocket

People have been urged to be on the lookout for conmen operating in Caithness after one couple was almost left £600 out of pocket from a cold-calling scam.

An elderly couple in the county were targeted by two men claiming to offer gutter-cleaning services earlier this month. Luckily, development trust officer Alistair Jack and his wife Pam intervened.

Now Caithness Citizens Advice Bureau has urged locals to be on guard against scams which often target vulnerable people.

Mr Jack said: "Two men cold called at an elderly couple's door in Caithness, and offered to clean their guttering for £40 to which the couple agreed to. When they were finished they charged them £100, and had ripped down the guttering around their tiny front porch and said they would come back tomorrow and replace it, for £500!

"When me and my wife Pam heard this, we knew immediately that this was a con.

"So we fixed some new guttering for their porch – which is not a lot wider than the front door – and it came to about £30. When they reappeared the next day, they were politely told to leave.

"I'm not even convinced that the gutters needed cleaning, and they certainly did not need to be replaced. Unfortunately the couple were still swindled out of £100, but it could have been much worse.

"Please warn elderly or naive friends and family about these conmen, and don't give people cold calling the time of day."

Caithness Citizens Advice Bureau issued advice on what people can do if they find themselves in a similar situation.

If you think you're being scammed, the red flags to look out for are:

• If the offer seems too good to be true.
• Someone you don’t know contacts you unexpectedly.
• You suspect you’re not dealing with a real company.
• You’ve been asked to transfer money quickly.
• You've been asked to pay in an unusual way – for example, by iTunes vouchers or through a transfer service like MoneyGram or Western Union.
• You’ve been asked to give away personal information like passwords or PINs.
• You haven't had written confirmation of what's been agreed.

Give yourself time to think about the offer, check the company out or obtain another quote or advice.

If you think you have been scammed, contact the police immediately by calling 101 if the scammer is in your area or if you've transferred money to the scammer in the last 24 hours. If you feel threatened or unsafe, call 999.

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