Imagine: You’re at home, and you hear a knock on the front door.
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You open it to find someone claiming to be a tradesperson.
They tell you a job has fallen through and offer you their services at a reduced rate, since they’re in the area.
What do you do?
“If you suspect a con man is at your door, just say no to them and ask them to leave,” Crime Stoppers Victoria community manager Chris Plumridge said.
“If they refuse, they are breaking the law. Always use qualified tradespeople and check credentials before anyone is hired.”
His advice comes during a period when door-to-door scammers are likely to be more active: in the warmer months, and following a damaging weather event.
“With recent flood activity through much of central Victoria, we would expect travelling con men activity to be more prevalent this summer,” Mr Plumridge said.
The Crime Stoppers and Consumer Affairs Victoria campaign urges people to look out for their neighbours and relatives and report any suspicious activity.
“Con men target those most vulnerable in society, including the elderly and those not fluent in English,” Mr Plumridge said.
Consumer Affairs Victoria executive director Simon Cohen said sham tactics could include offering cheap or ‘today only’ deals, showing professional-looking business cards, or claiming a nearby job has just been cancelled.
Customers could be left out-of-pocket and left with work that was incomplete, unsatisfactory, or never performed.
“If you or someone you know has been targeted by one of these cons, remember to call the National Travelling Con Men Hotline,” Mr Cohen said.
Angela Williams, Consumer Affairs Victoria’s regional manager, said people should call the hotline even if the suspected scammers had complied with their instructions and left the residence.
“The sooner we find out, the sooner we can take action,” she said.
She said regional and isolated areas could be targets for door-to-door scams and suggested people get a second quote if they had suspicions.
The 1300 133 408 travelling con men hotline is open from 8.30am to 5pm weekdays.