The offender approached the man at his house in Preston claiming work needed doing to his roof. He took £2500 from the victim before claiming he wanted another £75k to complete the work. Fortunately, this money was not handed over and the alarm was raised.

We are carrying out an investigation and warning others to be aware of bogus callers and what steps you can take to try and avoid becoming a victim.

Chief Insp Dave Byrne, of Preston Police, said: “This is a despicable crime committed against an elderly and vulnerable man and we will do all we can to track down this callous offender.

“I would urge people to be vigilant and to take some simple steps to try to avoid becoming a victim.

“A bogus caller may call uninvited to your home with the intention of tricking you into letting them in so that they can steal from you.

“A rogue trader may advise you that you need work doing on your roof, driveway or other part of your home. They may ask for money in advance or even say that your property is dangerous and that you will be responsible if someone is injured. The work they do can be poor standard and prices are often inflated.

“Older adults in particular are at risk, but anyone can become a victim.”

Police have advice so people can try to protect themselves:

STOP – Before you answer the door, stop and think if you are expecting anyone. Make sure your back door and any other doors leading outside are locked before you go to the front door. If you feel uncomfortable don’t answer the door and lock it.
CHAIN – Open the door with the chain or door bar in place. These act as a barrier when talking to unexpected callers. Talk through a window if you can.
CHECK – Always ask for ID. Genuine callers will always have identification. If you are still uncertain, phone the organisation and confirm the person’s identity. Genuine callers will be happy to wait.

If you are not expecting a visitor, do not know who is at the door, have any doubt or feel uncomfortable DO NOT open the door.

Some companies also have password protection schemes where they will supply you with a password that only you and the caller will know.

Neighbourhood Watch schemes are proven to reduce burglary and deter bogus callers. Sign up to In The Know our free local messaging scheme or to join your local watch scheme contact your local Watch Liaison Officer.

If you think you have been a victim of fraud, report it to Action Fraud, a national agency who record and investigate reports of all types of fraud.
For general advice you can contact Citizens Advice Citizens Advice

How to protect yourself from doorstep crime:

Never agree to have any work done as a result of a cold call. Don’t make snap decisions and don’t be pressurised into having the job done.

If you think work needs doing to your home, get written quotes from two or three traders, detailing the work to be done and a final price. Never rely solely on a mobile phone number.

Ask friends and relatives to recommend a reputable business.

Only pay in full once the work is completed to your satisfaction. You may be asked to pay money up front for trader’s materials, ensure this only covers the cost of those materials never pay the full amount in advance.

Check the identity of all callers to your home. Ask for photo identification even if the caller claims to be from a utility company, the police or local authority. Check it carefully with the telephone number in the phone book, not the number on the ID. All genuine officials are issued with identification that they carry with them. If you are worried, do not answer the door.

Do not keep large amounts of money in your home no matter how well you think it is hidden. Volunteering to pay large amounts in cash may be an indication that you may have more cash on the premises.

The Safe Trader Scheme aims to help people in Lancashire find traders for property repairs, home improvements and domestic services such as cleaning and laundry. Traders have to pay £99 +VAT to become part of the scheme.
Home Improvement Agencies in Lancashire provide impartial help, advice and support on all aspects of home improvements, adaptations, repairs and maintenance works to your homes.

For more information on how to keep yourself and your property safe please visit https://www.lancashire.police.uk/help-advice

Today, Get Safe Online has launched a new scam detection tool on their website. 

If you are suspicious of a text, email or message and you want to check if it is legit or not before responding, you can upload it to Ask Silver on the Get Safe Online website and whereupon it will return an indication of whether the communication is safe or a ‘red flag’ for fraud. 

This can be accessed here:

Ask Silver – Get Safe Online

Also attached is our latest Back-to-Basics campaign – providing lots of tips and advice from our experts about staying safe online this October. You can read more about this here: Your back-to-basics guide to keeping safe online – Get Safe Online

Best wishes,

the Get Safe Online team

Oct25_Back_to_Basics_Leaflet.pdf

Insight revealed by Action Fraud shows the top industries impersonated in reported phishing emails were streaming services, tech and telecommunication companies, with some posing as various UK government schemes. 

Action Fraud, the national fraud and cyber crime reporting service, launched a phishing awareness campaign to urge the public to beware of phishing scams and report all emails and messages if they look suspicious. 

Spam calls and suspicious text messages can be reported too. By using 7726, a free service offered by mobile network providers, customers can forward suspicious text messages, which helps the removal of scam websites and allows networks to block users sending scam text messages. Between April 2020 and April 2025, more than 27,000 scams were removed as a result of being reported using 7726.

Superintendent Amanda Wolf, Head of the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau at the City of London Police, said: “We know it can be difficult to spot fake messages or tell if a call is genuine. Criminals can change tactics fast and use the technology available to constantly create genuine looking emails and messages or facilitate calls that feel authentic – all designed to trick us and try and steal personal and financial information. 

“Every phishing email reported helps us gain a better understanding of the tactics being used and enables us to tackle it head on by identifying malicious URLs trending in phishing emails and texts – they can be taken down and disrupted, preventing further activity. The more reports received, the more people we can protect, preventing them from becoming victims. 

“Don’t get caught out, Stop, Think Fraud, and make sure you report suspicious-looking emails or messages if you receive them. You can forward emails to [email protected], or forward spam text messages to 7726.”

Sarah Lyons, NCSC Deputy Director for Economy and Society Resilience, said:

“Since 2020, over 41 million phishing attempts have been reported to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service — a powerful sign that the public is staying alert to online threats, helping to protect themselves and others.

“But cyber criminals aren’t giving up – they’re constantly finding new ways to trick people into clicking malicious links, sharing personal information, or handing over money.

“That’s why it’s more important than ever to stay alert. You’ll find clear, practical advice on how to spot and report scams – and how to stay secure online – on the NCSC website.”

What is phishing?

‘Phishing’, ‘quishing’ or ‘smishing’ is when criminals use fake emails, text messages, QR codes, or phone calls to trick victims. 

The goal of a phishing message is to encourage the victim to click a malicious link, or scan a fraudulent QR code, which usually leads them to a genuine-looking website, designed to make victims part way with their financial and/or personal information. Criminals will use well-known brands or organisations the victim already has a connection with, like a bank or tradesperson, to make fake emails seem genuine and more convincing. 

How can you protect yourself?

If you’ve received an email that doesn’t feel right, STOP! 

·  break the contact – don’t reply, click on any links, call any phone numbers or make any payments 

·  check if it’s genuine: contact the organisation directly using an email address or phone number you know is correct, e.g. from your utility bills, via a search engine, on the back of your card or by calling 159 for banks 

·  before you delete the email, forward it to [email protected] 

If you’ve received a text message that doesn’t feel right, STOP! 

·  break the contact – don’t reply, click on any links, call any phone numbers or make any payments 

·  check if it’s genuine: contact the organisation directly using an email address or phone number you know is correct, e.g. from your utility bills, via a search engine, on the back of your card or by calling 159 for banks 

·  forward the message for free to 7726 

If you’ve received a call that doesn’t feel right, STOP! 

·  hang up 

·  check if it’s genuine: contact the organisation directly using contact details you know are correct, such as those on a utility bill, official website, the back of your card or by calling 159 for your bank 

·  don’t trust the Caller ID display on your phone – it’s not proof of ID 

·  report it by sending a text to 7726 with the word ‘call’ followed by the scam caller’s number 

For more advice on how to protect yourself from fraud: https://stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk/

If you’ve lost money or provided financial information as a result of a phishing scam, notify your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.