Doorstep Crime #JustSayNo

Good afternoon,

Trading Standards Services across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have asked us to share the following warning: 

Please be wary of leaflet drops, cold calls, and people knocking on your door - particularly offering to undertake guttering and roofing work, including the fitting of “pigeon spikes” to guttering. 

If you engage with doorstep criminals to do one piece of work, during their visit, they will try to persuade you to allow them carry out unnecessary work costing hundreds/thousands of pounds. They may ask to enter your loft space, or access your roof and cause further damage to your property.

Trading standards strongly advise you not to agree to work instigated as a result of a cold call on the telephone, leaflet drop, or in person at your front door. 

You should obtain at least three quotes from reputable businesses or traders who are either members of Trading Standards ‘Buy With Confidence’ approved business scheme or a recognised trade association.  

Members of the ‘Buy With Confidence’ are fully audited to ensure their trading practices are legal, honest and fair. All members have been checked for trustworthiness and compliance with consumer protection laws. Directories can be obtained free of charge by telephone on 0808 223 1133, email buy.with.confidence@hants.gov.uk or by order online via https://shop.hants.gov.uk/   An up to date list of business is available: https://www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk/  

To inform Trading Standards about cold calling, please report the matter to our partners at the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline athttps://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/if-you-need-more-help-about-a-consumer-issue/  or by phone on 0808 223 1133.  If a crime is in progress or you are in fear for yourself or someone else please phone 999 immediately, otherwise please report doorstep crime online https://www.hampshire.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or phone 101.

If this alert isn't relevant to you, please share it with someone who might be interested.

If you’ve received a phishing email please report it to your email provider and/or forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk 

If you’ve received unwanted phone calls or texts from people you think are trying to scam you, but you haven’t engaged with them, please forward the text/phone number to 7726.

If you've been affected by a crime please contact Victim Care Hub for free, confidential support:  https://www.hampshireiowvictimcare.co.uk/  or phone 0808 178 1641

If you would like to report a crime anonymously please contact: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/ or phone 0800 555 111

Hampshire Alerts is not a crime reporting portal – please do not report crime here.

If you realise you’ve been scammed and wish to report a fraud that has already happened, please report it to Action Fraud either phone 0300 123 2040 or online at: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

If a crime is in progress, and/or you are in fear for yourself or someone else, and/or there is evidence in situ that could be damaged/destroyed, please phone 999 immediately. 

Otherwise, report online, or find out about other ways to report a crime at: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/

Thank you – Fraud Safeguarding Team