Dyno-Rod and Wiltshire Police are asking householders to be extra vigilant following suspected bogus caller incidents in Swindon in the last few weeks.
?Dyno-Rod and Wiltshire Police are asking householders to be extra vigilant following suspected bogus caller incidents in Swindon in the last few weeks.
The warning comes after a number of people have contacted Dyno-Rod to say that they have received a visit from someone claiming to be a Dyno-Rod engineer and giving very high costs for simple jobs.
Peter East from Dyno-Rod, said, “We are very concerned about these incidents and wanted to issue some advice to help people recognise genuine Dyno-Rod engineers. All our engineers wear a navy blue uniform, carry an ID card and will be driving the easily recognisable, bright orange Dyno-Rod vans. Also, it is very rare for them to call at someone’s house without an appointment. The only time they would do this is if they were working in a neighbouring property and require access to the drainage system.
“We have now launched a national hotline number which people can call, free of charge, to check if the caller is a genuine Dyno-Rod engineer. The number is 0800 316 1858.”
Bob Walton, Crime Reduction Officer at Wiltshire Police, said: “Bogus calling is a particularly reprehensible offence and its victims are often elderly and vulnerable.
"We are working closely with local neighbourhood teams to prevent further incidents but we want to reassure the public that these incidents remain rare. If anybody does receive a visit from someone that they believe is pretending to be a bogus caller, we would urge them to call 0845 408 7000 to report it.”
Following some simple rules could prevent most bogus caller crimes:
• Are you expecting someone to call?
• Don’t open your door to strangers. Check first – look through a window or door-viewer to see who the caller is
• Always put the chain on before opening the door
• Always ask to see the caller’s ID and refuse entry if you are in doubt – bona fide callers will be happy to call back at another time if you request
• If you are alone, ask the caller to come back later when a friend or neighbour can be with you
• If in doubt, keep them out.
