Warning over cold callers claiming to be from the Council

Published: 10 July 2023

Residents are being warned not to hand over money to cold callers who claim to be working on behalf of Exeter City Council.

The warning comes after a resident in Pinhoe, who is in his eighties, handed over £250 to three men who knocked on his door and said they were working nearby for the Council.

They offered to cut low hanging branches of a tree at the resident’s property. Work was carried out on the tree, but the resident claimed it was of a poor standard and when he raised the issue with the Council he was told that the workmen had no connection with the authority.

A spokesman for the Council said: “No-one working for or on behalf of Exeter City Council will ever cold call residents and ask for money for work.

“Contact with residents is always by a pre-arranged appointment. If any resident is told that a cold caller is from the City Council or working on behalf of the Council they should ask to see identification, and call us to check on 01392 277888 if they are in any doubt.”

Paying cash to a cold caller offering a service means it will be very hard to ensure a good and safe standard of work for a fair price. There will be no guarantee covering the work and very little opportunity to get back in contact with those who carried it.

For more information on rogue traders and doorstep crime visit the Devon Trading standards website.