Residents have been warned to be vigilant after a number of suspected rogue trading incidents across Cambridgeshire.

Vulnerable residents have been targeted in Over, Little Paxton and Milton village by people charging large amounts of cash for work to be carried out on their homes.  The work is either not carried out at all or finished to  a poor standard at a fraction of the price charged.

Police received three reports of incidents of rogue trading on Monday 8 September.

Offenders took more than £5, 000 from a man in his 60’s in Milton for decorating, however they left before carrying out any work.  A 65 year old man and a 25 year old woman were arrested on suspicion of fraud in connection with the Milton case, they are bailed until 28 September.

A woman in her 90’s reported that she had paid out around £6,000 for sub-standard work at her home in Little Paxton over recent months.

There were also reports of males calling at the homes of two elderly residents in Over offering to carry out building repairs that were not needed. They both declined, and contacted the police.

Rogue Traders usually call unannounced they target vulnerable groups such as older people, or those with health problems such as memory loss which makes them more at risk. Offenders will often initially charge a small amount but then dramatically increase the price and can become threatening or aggressive if the victim does not hand over the money.

Please be vigilant for suspicious activity and look out for elderly or vulnerable neighbours, we urge people not engage with cold callers and do not allow them into your home.  Never sign up to have work done straight away, do some research and get several quotes from different firms.

Further information:

www.consumerhub.org Led by the Citizens Advice Bureaux – find out more about protecting yourself from scammers, rogue traders and irresponsible lenders. Consumerhub is a partnership led by Cambridge CAB, working with Cambridgeshire Trading Standards and other organisations in the county to provide consumer advice and information to the county’s residents. We can also alert people to scams that are affecting local communities, to make sure that they are less likely to be exploited.

Another online resource is www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk a government site which aims to put residents in contact with reputable traders.