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Dear Resident, This time of year, you may have an increase in cold callers offering services such as gardening or home improvements. We want to help keep you safe from bogus callers and doorstep thieves. Doorstep cold-calling is not illegal, however Trading Standards advice is to NEVER employ traders who call at your door. The work or service offered can sometimes be unnecessary, overpriced, of a poor standard or not done at all. Sometimes, they have no formal training to carry out the work offered, and some may have links with distraction burglaries. Protect yourself by: Keeping your doors locked- offenders sometimes work together - one keeps you distracted at the front of the house whilst the other enters via the back door.
- if you are not sure who is at your door, don’t open it! Speak to unannounced visitors through a window if possible.
Bogus callers invade personal space and intimidate people to gain entry. Do not feel obliged to answer to any unwanted visitors, you can choose not to engage.Don’t be drawn in by stories which create panic, some callers might ask you to contact the emergency service as there has been an incident. If this happens assist them with the door closed.Telephone a neighbour or friend to come and check out the visitor before opening the door. Letting an unexpected visitor know that you have support coming to assist will often deter people with malicious intentions.Ask for ID and call the company the visitor claims to be from. i.e. utilities: call a number you already have on your bill or from a directory. If they are a genuine caller, they won’t mind you completing these checks. Never ring a number the bogus caller provides!If you’re still not sure, ask the visitor to leave and tell them to make a written appointment so you can arrange for someone to be with you for the pre-arranged appointment. Consider joining a Neighbourhood watch scheme in your area www.cheshirenw.org This is a great way to build a sense of community and encourage neighbours to look out for each other. You can arrange with service providers a personal password should they need to make a house call to you i.e. gas, water or electricity. You can find the information on how to set this up on your bill, if not give them a call to arrange this. If you feel threatened at any time or feel you are in immediate danger, call 999. If you suspect a bogus caller has visited you, even if you did not let them in, call the Police on 101, we need to know!REMEMBER – It is your door and you are in control of how you handle visitors. Don’t be afraid to ask for support from family and friends if you are unsure of an unexpected visitor or you have home improvement work planned. Friends and family would rather help to keep you safe with some quick checks. We hope this information helps. Kind regards, Crime Prevention Team It is important to us that we know about the issues that cause you concern. We have set up a survey where you can tell us about the things you would like us to focus on in your area. Resident's voice | Cheshire Constabulary |
