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We have received reports of males going door to door offering to buy gold and silver for cash. Whilst there is nothing to suggest these individuals are doing anything wrong we would ask for residents to be careful.
Protect yourself
To stop doorstep criminals from scamming you, remember that you must never:
- agree for work on your house or garden by someone who knocks at your door uninvited
- give money to or sign any forms for people who turn up on your doorstep
- open the door to strangers or allow uninvited callers into your home
- let somebody take you to the bank to get money for them.
Here is some advice for how to protect yourself against doorstep criminals.
Reputable builders, roofers and gardeners do not cold call. If you need a tradesperson, visit the Trading Standards Checked website. Remember to always get 3 quotes, never pay up front and don’t pay by cash.
If you are buying goods from someone on your doorstep costing more than £42, the law says you have 14 days to change your mind and ask for your money back. This is known as the ‘cooling off’ period. Never give out your bank details or PIN and never transfer money out of your bank account if asked to do so for ‘security reasons’.
Remember to keep your front and back doors locked. If you are not sure about the caller, no matter how persuasive they are, ask them to make an appointment to come back when a friend or family member can be with you.
Doorstep criminals have been known to return to the homes of people who have previously had poor work carried out, pretending to be a Police or Trading Standards Officer. They will say arrests have been made and a court case is currently in progress. This is when they will ask for money for all sorts of reasons.
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