Cheshire Constabulary – Cold Calling Warnings – 20 Nov 2014

 

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This is a message sent via The Neighbourhood & Home Watch Network (England & Wales). This information has been sent on behalf of Cheshire Constabulary

 

Liz Biddle (Police, Home Watch Officer, Cheshire Home Watch)

Please share the warnings/information exampled below, taken from recent calls to Cheshire Constabulary, complaining about Cold Callers.
Cheshire police and Trading Standards advise residents not to purchase goods or services from cold callers knocking at the door.  If you require any of the goods or services exampled below we suggest you ask a friend or neighbour for a reputable contact.
Between 11 and 19 Nov 2014
Nantwich - man offering to cut trees
Macclesfield - man ‘claimed to be working with/on behalf of the police’, trying to sell front doors
Fearnhead - man ‘claimed to be approved by the police’, trying to sell double glazing
Poynton - phone call offering ‘a service to stop cold calls to land line’, asking for bank details
Wilmslow/Handforth - phone calls offering ‘a service to get a Council Tax refund’
Acton Bridge - man offering roofing work, driving a van.  Rude when refused.
Great Barrow - man with a van offering mattresses for sale. 
Numerous reports from the following areas: - Holmes Chapel, Cranage, Handbridge, Upton, Neston
‘young’ men selling household products, reference to young offenders.  Some complaints of aggressive language/rudeness.  Police have checked some ‘hawker paperwork/cards’ – none found to hold the appropriate Pedlars Certificate.
Numerous reports over recent weeks of phone calls claiming to be from Microsoft, asking for access to a home computer to fix a virus.
We would be grateful if you could find some time to warn residents who you feel may be especially vulnerable to this type of approach.
If you ‘feel concerned’ about anyone behaving suspiciously, especially where a vulnerable neighbour may be involved, call Cheshire police to report your concerns.
Please try to write down a description of any vehicles or suspicious people.  A vehicle registration and description is especially helpful.
To report crime and non-urgent information – ring 101
In emergency ring 999
For additional information about your local policing team, or to read their recent tweets (you don’t need a twitter account) go to the Cheshire police web site:-  www.cheshire.police.uk