Police in Harrogate have urged people to be wary of cold callers turning up on doorsteps offering garden maintenance work.
In a statement today, North Yorkshire Police said it was aware of individuals and groups targeting elderly residents in the area.
It added some could be “pushy and threatening” or “charge inflated prices or pretend to find more and more jobs that need doing on a property”.
A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said:
“We’re aware of Harrogate households in different areas of the town being approached for landscaping and gardening work. We’re working proactively to address this.
“As part of this work, we want residents to be aware of the risks and to know what to do if someone turns up at their door offering services like gardening work, building maintenance or selling goods.
“We’d advise people to be wary – legitimate gardening and maintenance businesses usually work through recommendations and don’t need to knock on doors to get business.”
Unsolicited calling, or cold calling, is when people are approached by someone offering a service despite not requesting it.
Although cold calling is not an offence, North Yorkshire Police said it frequently investigated frauds, thefts and burglaries that happened as a result of doorstep calls.
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The spokesman added:
“Always give yourself plenty of time to make decisions about who you employ and ask friends, family and neighbours for recommendations.
“And don’t feel bad about saying ‘no’. Normal businesses understand that people want to shop around and won’t try to pressure you into a decision on the spot. If they do, that’s a massive red flag.
“Sadly, elderly people are particularly at risk. So if you have older parents, relatives or friends, please share this message with them and check they know how to stay safe if cold callers knock on their door.”
Police urge anyone suspicious about cold callers to dial 101.
