Over the past weeks an elderly resident in the East Riding has been duped by a man who is alleged to have systematically targeted her, telling her that she need jobs doing in her home, the ‘workman’ has then alleged to have charge excessive amounts of money for these very small jobs.

Police are investigating this crime but want to try and avoid this happening to anyone else.

Humberside Police are appealing for anyone who has an elderly relative or knows a vulnerable adult to make sure they are aware of this type of crime.

HAS ANYONE ELSE BEEN TRICKED BY A BOGUS WORKMAN?  PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE POLICE BY CALLING 101.

To deliberately bully or pressure an elderly or vulnerable person into buying an over-inflated service on their own door step is a crime.

The police call unregistered tradesmen who offer poor quality services at over inflated prices as ‘rogue traders’ and are clamping down on this type of crime.

The majority of the bogus traders who have targeted East Riding victims are our older and vulnerable residents, and quiet often the victims feel ashamed or embarrassed that they were tricked into taking a service they did not need and fell for their ‘hard sale’.

Neighbourhood Policing Chief Inspector James Glansfield, said: “Rogue Traders can often look respectful, but are deceitful, this is how so many people fall for their sales pitch. When an offer seems too good to be true it often is.”

“Generally speaking it is very rare these days for genuine traders to cold call, but if you do come across this there are certain rules they have to abide by:

• They must give 7 days cancellation notice
• Give a written quote
• Have a contact telephone number and more importantly, a contact address.

No money should be exchanged prior to the work being carried out. If the trades person offers to take you to the bank, threatens, intimidates or is aggressive towards you, you should call the police immediately.

“Please could I ask, if you have contact with elderly residents either in your profession or in your personal life, please pass on the above information. Unfortunately these people pray on the elderly and vulnerable, taking hundreds, sometimes thousands of pounds off the elderly.

“It is unfair, fraudulent and against the law.”