12:55PM, Thursday 22 May 2014
The Royal Borough trading standards service has warned the summer months are when cases of the callous conmen preying on the elderly or disabled soar.
Three Maidenhead householders have been targeted since the start of the month.
Their victims include:
* A blind-deaf elderly couple targeted by a cold-caller claiming to be a roofer. He charged them £1,000 to replace two loose tiles and solve a non-existent damp problem.
* An elderly woman was called on by a tradesman who said her roof needed fixing.
He drove her to a bank and made her withdraw £1,200.
The man took the money and told the victim to get the bus home. No work was carried out.
* On Friday, May 16, a man in Edinburgh Road was approached by a stranger claiming to be his window cleaner.
He took £120 in cash to carry out 'repairs' before returning and asking for an extra £240.
No work was completed.
The victim then received bogus calls from fraudsters pretending to work for 'the council' saying they would take the victim to court if he did not pay up.
Trading standards officer Greg Nelson has been working with police after the cases were reported.
He said rogue traders will cold call, knock, or email people offering to complete unnecessary home improvements.
He added they often demand extortionate amounts of money in advance and will normally fail to complete work or take the money and run without bothering to even begin.
Greg said 'never' deal with cold callers.
"They will leave no paperwork, the guarantees they give will be worthless and once you have paid out it will be virtually impossible to get your money back," he said.
"Don’t take any chances, say 'no' on the doorstep."
Police are investigating all three cases. Call 101.
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