Bogus Callers - Advice from Police Scotland

As a result of an increase in the recent numbers of Bogus Caller incidents Police Scotland have released the following information and advice.

"The impact of Doorstep Crime on its victims should not be underestimated and can leave people feeling vulnerable, embarrassed and isolated for months and years to come. One of these types of crime relates to Bogus Callers.

Bogus Callers are individuals, both male and female, who try to gain entry to peoples' homes usually on the pretexts that they work for organisations such as Aberdeen City Council, Scottish Water, Scottish Power, British Gas, Scottish and Southern Electricity (SSE) or even a bank and they urgently need access to the victim's house. They may use scare stories, intended to alarm the victim to gain entry. They may also claim to be able to save the victim money on their gas or electricity supply. Both of these claims are false as these criminals' ultimate aim is to get into the victim's home and steal from them, whether this is cash, cheque books, bank cards, the information held on them or other valuables.

Police Scotland would like to advise householders, especially the elderly, infirm or otherwise vulnerable, that if you have any doubts about any cold caller at your door 

DON'T LET THEM INTO YOUR HOME AND DO NOT DISCUSS FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS WITH THEM. 

Genuine representatives are trained and experienced enough to expect caution from householders. Instead, confirm the caller's name, company and the nature of their business and ask to borrow any ID card being worn by them. They should not ask you for money or offer to take you to the bank or Post Office.

Be polite and LOCK the front door, leaving the caller outside; inspect the ID card for quality of manufacture, use the Yellow Pages to get a company phone number to confirm that the company has workmen in your area. Do not rely on the information contained on the ID card as this may be fake. If still not satisfied, the next phone call should be to a friend or neighbour or to the Police for help. If satisfied, the caller can be allowed to enter, but the door should still be locked after they've been let in, and on the way out again!

It is often helpful, if a company's agent need access to the house to read the meter or something similar, to call the company beforehand and ask them to write to you beforehand with times and dates and to agree a password, so when the workmen calls you can have greater confidence that they are bona fide.

It can also be helpful to use the Nominated Neighbour scheme which Police Scotland supports. Further details of this scheme can be obtained by phoning the Police Scotland non-emergency number of 101 and asking for your local Crime Reduction office. This scheme allows a suitable friend or neighbour to act on a householder's behalf when dealing with cold callers.

If you would like security advice on how to keep your home more secure, please give me or Jim Watson a call at the Crime Reduction Unit on the Police Scotland non-emergency number of 101 and we'd be only too pleased to help or look on the Police Scotland website on the 'Keep Safe' tab.

Bob McKinney

Crime Reduction Unit

Police Scotland,

North East Division,

Nigg Police Office

230 Abbotswell Crescent, Nigg,

Aberdeen,

AB12 3JT,

Tel: 101 "