Warning after two conmen tried to get into home by claiming to be from Hartlepool council offering coronavirus advice

A spokesman for Hartlepool Trading Standards, run by Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “We have received notification of two males cold calling on homes in the Dyke House area of the town claiming to be from the council and asking to be let in to the house to provide coronavirus advice to the occupant.

“One male stood at the gate keeping watch while the other spoke to the occupant through the door. The occupant had the sense to not let the male in to their property meaning they did not gain entry to continue their scam. The males left the area when they realised they were not going to gain entry to the house.

“The males were both dressed in dark clothing and thought to be in their forties and from the area.”

The spokesman added: “This is not a service the council offers as we believe it is essential that we don’t place people at risk by making unnecessary contact with residents in their homes to provide advice.

“Criminals constantly develop new ways to gain access to vulnerable resident’s homes to steal from them and are cruelly using the Covid-19 crisis as a method to do this.

“To counter this potential criminality in these unprecedented times, we would ask the community to come together, be vigilant and keep an eye out for anyone we believe may be at risk and to pass on the message to older, perhaps more trusting relatives, friends and neighbours.

“Other versions of this scam to be aware of are criminals knocking on the doors of elderly residents offering to run shopping trips to save them going out, but taking the cash or bank cards and never returning, people claiming to be from the police investigating incidents of Covid-19 or doorstep traders offering to clean properties to rid them as a source of possible infection.”

Council chiefs advise that if you receive a cold call from someone you are not expecting, that you simply ignore them and do not engage in any way.

If you have one of the council's free No Cold Calling stickers, just point at it and walk away. If the caller will not leave and becomes abusive, call the police on 999.