Neighour "robbed" any advice

D

Dermot

Guest
Neighour "robbed" any advice

Got home this afternoon to see a van at my neighbours house and someone at the guttering. Turns out some lads arreved yesterday and told this woman (an old lady) that there was a problem with her gutters and upon further inspection they would need to be replaced. The gutters had been put in TWO YEARS ago.

Unfortunately she paid these guys by cheque and they went straight to her bank and cashed the cheque.

This is an ordinary 3 bedroomed house and they charged her SIX THOUSAND EURO for this. I feel desperately sorry for this lady (a pensioner). Can anyone advise what the normal charge would be for guttering as I think this sounds like an extortionate rate.

If this is a major rip off I would appreciate if anyone could advice as to how some of the damage could be undone - all ideas appreciated.

Thank you
D.
 
This scam (and thats what it is) was covered here about a year ago. Ill see if I can find it.

If it were me I'd contact the guards or the fraud squad but perhaps Joe Duffy would be more effective.


From the UK trading standards authority.


How to deal with doorstep sellers

Doorstep Sellers

Remember that sales people are generally trained to persuade. Uninvited sales people can use various tactics to get their foot in the door:

"I noticed that your guttering is loose"
Congratulations - you have won a prize in our draw !"
I am conducting a survey on home security"
Our special prices are only available if you sign today !"
Practical Tips

Display a door notice saying "We do not buy from doorstep sellers"
Fit a security door bar or chain to your door and make sure you use it when people call
If in doubt about a caller's identity don't let them in
Do not invite sales people into your home unless you have asked them to visit
Never sign a contract until you have shopped around first
Take advice from family and friends and other traders, to check if the job really needs doing
Don't be pushed into making a snap decision to spend money you cannot afford
A reputable trader will always give you time to make up your mind
Click to expand...

It might be possible to print and laminate cards with the above information on it and distribute to vunerable neighbours?



ajapale
 
Would sir like all 50's?

I cannot believe that any bank would cash a cheque for six thousand for someone unknown to them. For a start banks try to balance their cash requirements for the week and don't just hand out €6k even to customers. I would imagine that banks would also be aware of this type of activity taking place.
 
Re: Would sir like all 50's?

If the cheque is payable to cash, it has to be lodged to an account.
If the cheque was crossed, it would have to lodged to an account.
If the cheque was payable to XXXXXX and presented by XXXXXX, the paying Bank would have to know XXXXXX before they would pay out cash.
Which means they would have a record of XXXXXX's name and address so he could be traced very easily.
Unless it was a member of the moving community?
 
50's

Thank you all for your help so far.

okidoki987 are the following actual procedures or just your views:
If the cheque is payable to cash, it has to be lodged to an account.
If the cheque was crossed, it would have to lodged to an account.
If the cheque was payable to XXXXXX and presented by XXXXXX, the paying Bank would have to know XXXXXX before they would pay out cash.
Which means they would have a record of XXXXXX's name and address so he could be traced very easily.
Unless it was a member of the moving community?

The bank actually rang this lady when the cheque was presented to confirm that she had written it. Apparently today she is even more upset and distraught as the enormity of the problem sinks in.

So any further advice / assistane would be appreciated.

Dermot
 
Re: 50's

I don't think there is a lot that can be done in this instance.

From an objective viewpoint it looks like the guys offered to do some work for your neighbour, they agreed a price, did the work (presumably) and got paid.

What's to debate ?

You know and I know that the guys were guilty of sharp practice, but that in itself is not a crime.

Maybe contact the director of consumer affairs and see if they have any recommendations, or if there are any contact details and you have reason to believe that they may not be declaring their income contact the Revenue - but this would not get the money back for your neighbour. You could also try the community police and see if they have any information on the guys, but obviously it would help if you had things like names and phone numbers first.

AP is incorrect in the issue of cheques made payable to CASH - the whole point of them is that they don't need to be lodged to an account. I can't see a bank cashing a cheque for 6K for someone they don't know just like that - and as you say they did ring your neighbour for confirmation and she did confirm that the cheque was good for payment.

If we assume the bank did give out 6K in cash then there will probably be no record of who it went to other than a signature and that's no use by itself. If it was lodged to an account then the bank will know the account number and branch it went to and this information *could* be of some use.

I'm sorry there isn't better news, but your neighbour voluntarily agrred to the price and made the payment.

z
 
Re: 50's

Well most Bank's nowadays will NOT cash a cheque payable to CASH, they will only let you lodge it to your account.
It vary's from bank to bank, most have signs up inside stating this. You would have to check with the bank the cheque in question is drawn on and ask them.
If a cheque is crossed it has to be lodged into an account but I know if the customer is known to the staff, they will allow the payee to cash it (which they shouldn't do).
Find out what way she made the cheque out.
 
Cash

Thank you. I''ll try to find out some more details and post back

Dermot
 
.

"What's to debate ?

You know and I know that the guys were guilty of sharp practice, but that in itself is not a crime."

A lot actually.

It was stated that the lady in question is old, though we don't know how old.

So, if she's quite elderly and living alone it could quite conceivably be argued she was pressured into this "contract".

If the amount agreed is way in excess of the "going-rate", and especially if there was no problem with the guttering then these guys do have something to answer to.
 
This is a well known and documented scam/fraud.

This is a well known and documented scam/fraud. (see uk trading standards links above).

Vunerable old people are targetted in their own home and pressurised into buying a service they dont want and dont need.

I still think Joe Duffy is your best bet. Perhaps these individuals may be tracked down.

ajapale
 
The scam

I haven't been able to check if the price was agreed in advance as yet. In relation to the ladys age I can confirm she is in her mid 70's.

Dermot

Again - thanks for the advice
 
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