Two bogus workmen have been reported calling on unsuspecting people in Mile Oak, a Portslade councillor warned today (Thursday 30 January).
His warning was echoed by Sussex Police which said that doorstep fraudsters conned residents out of money “to carry out work on their drains”.
North Portslade councillor Peter Atkinson said that two men appeared to be operating a scam in the area.
Councillor Atkinson said: “They are using the work going on at the nearby construction site at the back of Overdown Rise as a reason for residents to have their drains cleared.
“They are also saying that a drain cover needs repairing when it’s only slightly worn.
“These two men are preying on unsuspecting residents, many of them elderly.
“They are trying to charge taking hundreds of pounds for work that doesn’t need doing and may well damage the drain or its cover with the so called ‘work’ that they do.”
Councillor Atkinson has passed this information on to police as have a couple of residents themselves.
He added: “With all the disruption around the new construction site, this is the last thing that residents need.
“Residents are stressed enough already without having a couple of petty criminals trying to take their money.”
Sussex Police said: “Police are investigating a report of a possible fraud in the Mile Oak area of Portslade, on Wednesday (22 January) in which residents gave two men money to carry out work on their drains.
“Inquiries are currently ongoing. Anyone with any information is asked to contact police online or by calling 101 quoting serial 441 of 28/01.
“Advice and information on how to protect yourself against door-to-door fraud can be found at https://www.sussex.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/fa/fraud/personal-fraud/door-to-door-courier-fraud.”
This sounds like the jowly, paunchy man who goes from door to door and then calls a young sidekick who is, apparently, at work nearby and can fit in another “job”|if residents cough up there and then. They also claim that roofs are damaged by seagulls. They are pair of social inadequates who should be photographed and jailed.