POLICE have told the public to call them immediately over suspicious behaviour after an elderly man in Innerleithen fell victim to a bogus workman.
The man paid up £350 after being told that trees in his garden were unstable and needed to be cut down and then handed over a further £350 when the suspect demanded more money to have the trees taken away.
It was only when the male suspect claimed some of the money was counterfeit and asked for even more cash that the victim became annoyed and warned that he would contact police.
“A lot of elderly people are falling for this scam where a workman offers to do work and then the price suddenly escalates,” PC Chris Burnside reported to Innerleithen Community Council.
“We need to people to phone us immediately if they are concerned.” Paul Faris, the chairman of the community council, said: “This is something we need to be concerned about as folk can part with a lot of money.”
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