A Redhill resident has been escorted to their bank to draw out money by a rogue trader.
The bogus ‘handyman’ demanded £4,200 in cash for tidying the victim’s garden and removing waste .
Upon trying to withdraw the money the bank became suspicious and intervened and the garden waste was then later found fly tipped.
Denise Turner Stewart, Cabinet Member for Communities at Surrey County Council, said,
“Sadly, rogue traders tend to target people at this time of year when the weather is improving and with lockdown restrictions relaxing, this provides more opportunity for the criminals to dupe householders into paying for shoddy or unnecessary work.
“Doorstep fraud is a terrible crime which can have lasting ramifications for a victim and their family. We urge local our communities to be vigilant and to look out for their elderly and vulnerable neighbours, often it is neighbours, relatives and friends who raise the alarm.
“Rogue traders are highly organised, professional offenders who have developed their skills over the years. It is estimated only 5% of scams are reported so we would encourage everyone to not be afraid or embarrassed to report an incident and seek support. The information could also help our Trading Standards Officers prevent future incidents.”
More information on how to protect against rogue traders can be found here: trading.standards@surreycc.gov.uk.