Watch out, rogue traders are about - police

Police say rogue traders can do poor quality work, or overcharge for simple jobs

Police have warned city residents to stay alert after reports rogue traders were operating in their neighbourhoods.

Cambridgeshire Police said the Netherton and Dogsthorpe areas of Peterborough had been targeted by people going door-to-door offering services such as cleaning gutters and clearing trees.

One rogue trader had tried to charge for work not carried out, police said.

Anyone with information about rogue trading in the city has been urged to contact the force.

Det Sgt Rich Ellison, of Cambridgeshire Police's acquisitive crime team, said: “Most doorstep scams involve selling goods or services that are either not delivered or are to a poor standard and overpriced, or they may try to bill you for work you didn’t agree to.

“Although we have received some reports, we believe there might be other people in the area who have been approached but not reported to us – this could be for many reasons, such as money wasn’t handed over or people may feel embarrassed to have fallen victim to these scams.

“There is absolutely no shame in believing these people as they can be highly sophisticated and convincing, often targeting elderly or vulnerable people, so please check in with neighbours and relatives, and report any concerns to us.”

Information about common doorstep scams can be found on the force's fraud webpages.