Crackdown on bogus callers sees suspect nabbed in Bishopbriggs
18.7.12 Photograph Jamie Forbes. Kirkintilloch police station. Police and trading standards for bogus caller crack down launch.
A MAN has been arrested for allegedly preying on a pair of Bishopbriggs pensioners.
The 28-year-old was charged with the attempted fraud of a 72-year-old woman and an 87-year-old man on Tuesday, September 11.
It came just days after Strathclyde Police’s new bogus callers campaign was launched, entitled ‘Not Everyone is Who They Appear To Be’.
The campaign will run for three weeks and will feature posters on buses and in underground stations, and daily radio adverts.
Meanwhile, elderly and vulnerable people will be given a sticker to put on their front door to remind them of questions they should ask anybody calling unannounced.
A police spokesperson explained: “Bogus callers can take many guises and they’re generally very skilled at deception. They turn up at your door unannounced or contact you by phone, try to gain your trust and trick you out of money.
“Our message is simple – not everyone is who they appear to be, so don’t be afraid to challenge them or question their intentions. If genuine, they won’t have a problem with it.
“Are they definitely from the utility company they say they are? Are they definitely there to take your meter readings? Are they definitely calling from your bank?”
East Dunbartonshire MP Jo Swinson backed the campaign and praised the police.
She added: “For years I have warned constituents about bogus callers, trying to raise awareness and asking them to be vigilant.
“The problem has been a constant one in the area, and so I welcome action to arrest and charge these individuals. It may make others think twice.”
For further information on the campaign, and advice on how to spot bogus callers, go to www.strathclyde.police.uk
If you are worried that you might have been the victim of a bogus caller, call police on 0141 532 4400.
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Thursday 20 June 2013
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