Police issue public warning after Camberwell woman loses $22,000 to conman
A CRAFTY conman has fleeced an elderly Camberwell woman of more than $20,000, prompting police to warn residents to be wary of dodgy tradies. This is how she was scammed.
Inner East
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A ROGUE tradie conned an elderly Camberwell woman into paying $22,000 for roof works that were never done.
Boroondara detective Senior Sergeant Daryl Cullen said the lady was approached on August 23 at her Allambee Ave home.
The tradie claimed he had been working on a property next door and noticed the elderly woman’s roof tiles needed replacing.
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She gave him a cash cheque, and the cash was later withdrawn.
But he never returned to the woman’s home to start work or returned her phone calls.
“This has been an ongoing problem for years,” Sen-Sgt Cullen said, adding conmen like this targeted vulnerable people.
“They are preying on people who struggle cognitively.”
The Leader spoke to several people in the area, who wished to remain anonymous, who all told similar tales.
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A Glyndon Rd resident said he was approached by a tradesman with a Scottish accent the same day, who said he needed to check their roof.
“He was quite persistent, but I finally had him leave. He was dark-haired and drove off in a white ute,” he said.
Another, in Doonkuna Ave, answered the door that day to a “supposed tradesman” but sent him away.
Another person in the area was duped “several years ago” and was shocked the problem was still rife.
“We were taken in by an Irishman called John,” they said.
“Before we knew where we were, we had a team on the roof ‘fixing’ (it). The bill was huge and John got aggressive when we objected.”
A Balwyn resident who responded to a flyer was quoted $2000 for a job, despite a second quote only being $250.
The Leader discovered the business name on the flyer, Heritage Homecare, was listed as a home healthcare service in Ireland.
The Leader also found the business address on the flyer, was parkland in Ringwood.
The Leader contacted the mobile number provided, but questions were met with verbal abuse.
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