Hahndorf locals being warned of puzzling scam targeting residents and businesses in the area

Local residents and businesses in the Adelaide Hills are being urged to stay vigilant about a strange scam plaguing the area.

A warning has been issued for locals in the Adelaide Hills over an apparent scam offering cheap labour.

Police said they had received a report of a potential scam hitting the Hahndorf area last week, targeting residents and local businesses.

The suspected scammers are reportedly approaching people and offering to lay bitumen on the cheap.

Police say the alleged scammers, disguised as sellers, also turn up with small trucks and equipment that seem to be legitimate.

They then do a shabby job on the task and inflate the price, demanding payment to properly complete the work, police say.

In a statement on Tuesday, police warned the public to be “cautious of these types of offers where the deal seems ‘too good to be true’”.

People are being urged to check the finer details of any door-to-door sales people before agreement and to not cave in to the pressure of making a deal.

Earlier this month, several unsuspecting elderly South Australians were lured into paying for a discount card from a fraudulent website.

The official SA Seniors Card was at the forefront of a scam after another website, www.seniorscardportal.au, falsely claimed to supply membership cards for a fee.

The fraudulent site charges a $29 application processing fee and alleges to be “officially approved”.

However, the application process on the certified website – www.seniorscard.sa.gov.au – does not require applicants to use their bank details, credit card information or PayPal credentials for new memberships.

Applicants are also not required to fork out any associated fees during their application.

Executive Director Office for Ageing Well, Cassie Mason urged seniors to remain vigilant, and reassured future members that the “Seniors Card is always free of charge.”