A Caerphilly County Borough couple who fell victim to a nationwide scam are warning others to be on their guard.
Peter and Grace MacDonald, Cefn Hengoed, agreed to the installation of a burglar alarm without realising they were tied to a contract for its upkeep which could have totalled thousands of pounds.
Once they realised they had fallen victim to the scam they contacted the council’s trading standards department which helped the couple get out of the contract through the statutory seven day ‘cooling off’ period.
Mrs MacDonald said, “I hope that us speaking out about how we fell victim to this scam will deter others from succumbing to the offers these companies make, which although they may seem professional and genuine, are more often than not too good to be true.”
Cllr Lyn Ackerman, cabinet member for the environment said: “This scam is one that is circulating nationally at present, and I am full of admiration for Mr and Mrs MacDonald for speaking out after becoming victims of a scam and helping to discourage others from signing up to receive similar offers.
“If an offer seems too good to be true, then the chances are it probably is, and I would encourage anyone who is offered free or cheap goods such as these burglar alarms to seriously consider whether the offer is genuine.
“Speak to family and friends about the offer before making any commitments, do not agree to the company making a visit to your home and if you are in any doubt at all, so no.”
As part of this nationwide scam, companies will often claim they are working with the police or as part of a Government scheme, or that they are researching for a fire and security alarm system company.
The salesmen will typically cold call, keen to make a home visit the same day to discuss the installation of a free or cheap alarm.
The companies are reported to use high-pressure tactics to scaremonger residents about rising crime levels in the area.
Some are also reported to make misleading claims about the alarms being directly linked to the police or the availability of a hotline to police patrol cars.
Residents across the UK have found themselves tied to a six-year contract agreement costing up to £6,000.