Moray Trading Standards are warning residents in Moray to be on the lookout for doorstep callers preying on elderly and vulnerable neighbours.
With National Consumer Week beginning on Monday, local councils are highlighting the 170,000 incidents of doorstep crime being committed nationally each year.
In response the ‘Good Neighbours Stop Rogue Traders’ campaign is being launched this week, encouraging neighbours, friends and family member to take on the task of discouraging rogue traders.
These traders often cold-call and offer to carry out repairs which are poor quality, unnecessary and charged at extortionate prices, sometimes even driving the victim to the bank to withdraw money or threatening them.
Trading Standards Institute chief executive Leon Livermore said: “This campaign gives power back to communities that have been blighted by rogue traders and prevents those most at risk from becoming victims of doorstep crime.
“While trading standards officers strive to track down and prosecute rogue traders, community intervention is the first step in preventing detriment caused by doorstep crime.
“The Good Neighbours Stop Rogue Traders campaign highlights the impact community-spirit and the goodness of neighbours, friends and relatives can have in making Britain a safer place.”
The Good Neighbours Stop Rogue Traders campaign is a partnership between Moray Council’s trading standards section, the Trading Standards Institute, Citizens Advice and the National Trading Standards Board.
Councillor Douglas Ross, who chairs Moray Council’s planning and regulatory services committee, said: “Rogue traders bring misery to thousands of households in the UK and frequently target the elderly and most vulnerable members of our community.
“Moray Council trading standards continues to take action against rogue traders, but preventing them from doing damage in the first place is crucial.
“I would encourage all Moray residents to be on the lookout for doorstep crime in their community to help stop neighbours falling foul of rogue traders.”
For further information people are asked to contact Moray Council trading standards on 03454 04 05 06. Nominated neighbour cards will be available to collect from the access point at the Moray Council offices in Elgin.