How my Dad got Ripped-Off just before he Passed Away

My Dad was lucky.  Despite being a heavy smoker, he was healthy and had full capacity for 83 years.  He was also lucky in being just too young to be called up in World War 2.  He loved company and had a lot of friends.  He was a social drinker and always keen to join in local pub quizzes. 

His last year, his 84^th, however, was not so good.  He was diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer and told he had 12 months.  By then my Mum had passed away so he was living alone.  He could not go to the pub and gradually all his pleasures in life, fell away.  My sister and I visited as much as possible and helped with a weekly bath.  But it was a hard, lonely time for him.  He became diabetic and suffered a nasty bout of shingles.  When the shingles became very bad, I remember him asking my sister (a trained nurse) if it was ok for him to take 2 paracetamol tablets rather than the one, he had been taking 3 times a day! 

Dad also struggled to get a good night’s sleep.  He was in pain just resting in bed and could never get comfortable.  Without telling us he responded to an advert for a specialist mattress which came with a guarantee of total comfort.  The mattress company was based in the North of England.  They called Dad to arrange an appointment for their representative to visit and tell Dad more about the mattress.  The representative was very friendly and stayed chatting for several hours.  Dad must have enjoyed the company because he agreed on the spot to sign loan agreements for almost £5,000 to buy the special mattress unseen.  Some days later when the mattress was delivered Dad must have been  dismayed to see he had been conned.  The mattress was a simple single plastic mattress about 3 inches thick and nothing like what had been described to him.  Only after Dad died did we discover the fraud.  He must have felt embarrassed.  Rather than leave us to sort out the mess he had however paid off the loan in full before he died and never mentioned it to us.

The Roof Work Scam

Such fraudulent practices (aimed at vulnerable adults) are sadly all too common.  Local roofer David French of the London and Kent Roofing Company (based in Dulwich) told me he often gets called out to fix and complete shoddy work performed on roofs by dishonest traders.  There have instances where the poor homeowner has been charged in excess of £20,000 for a £2,000 job with little or no work being carried out.  We will all have seen similar stories in the press of such practices.  For example this recent story in the Yorkshire Post is typical.

Obviously great care must be taken in engaging any builder.  A good starting point however is to check what professional bodies they belong to.  London and Kent roofing (as a reputable roofing company) is a member of the Federation of Master Builders.  The FMB connects clients with quality, local builders they can trust.  Master Builders are committed to high standards and their membership of the FMB must be earned. Members have to pass a vetting and independent inspection process before joining.  Master Builders have to meet the high standards expected of a Master Builder company.  The vetting process includes checking a builder’s trading history, credit history, public liability and employer’s liability insurance.  The inspection process involves an independent assessment of building work completed by the builder, which is completed by the BBA or RISA.  

Scam Awareness

The Citizen’s Advice Bureau runs annual scam awareness campaigns to highlight the problem and raise awareness.  The campaign aims to create a network of confident, alert consumers who know what to do when they spot a scam.  They also have advice and support on scams please visit their online advice pages.

They say:

Protecting people against scams is more important than ever. Many people are facing issues as a result of the coronavirus pandemic – from employment and debt, to housing and health – meaning more people are in vulnerable situations. Scammers are taking advantage of this, so it is vital people have the knowledge and tools they need to protect themselves.

Always stay alert to scammers.  It might be a scam if:

• it seems too good to be true – for example, a holiday that’s much cheaper than you’d expect;
• someone you don’t know contacts you unexpectedly;
• you suspect you’re not dealing with a real company – for example, if there’s no postal address;
• you’ve been asked to transfer money quickly;
• you've been asked to pay in an unusual way – for example, by iTunes vouchers or through a transfer service like MoneyGram or Western Union;
• you’ve been asked to give away personal information like passwords or PINs; and
• you haven't had written confirmation of what's been agreed.

You can sign up for the Citizen’s Advice Bureau Scam Awareness newsletter by clicking here.

To report a scam/fraud contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

In Lambeth, contact Trading Standards at Lambeth Civic Centre 6 Brixton Hill London SW2 1EG

For advice for Lambeth businesses, call 020 7926 5000 or email: tradingstandards@lambeth.gov.uk.

For the National Consumer Helpline, phone 03454 04 05 06.

Michael Scott

Co-Owner Right at Home Mitcham Streatham and Dulwich