Neighbourhood Watch: Suspicious telephone caller claiming to be from double glazing firm

OWL Cymru – Flintshire Neighbourhood Watch has issued a warning to residents over a suspicious telephone call claiming to be from a double glazing company. 

Owl reports that an elderly resident in the Mold area had a telephone call on Thursday last week from a double glazing company wishing to make an appointment to check that her double glazing was ‘in good working order’.

At one point, the caller implied that they were phoning on behalf of Flintshire County Council.

The resident is a private home owner, not a Flintshire County Council tenant.

“Checks have been made, and currently, there are no double glazing companies working with Flintshire County Council on private homes.” 

“We would like to remind residents to be wary when dealing with telephone cold callers.

Do not agree to home visits until thorough checks are made to confirm the validity of any telephone call received.” OWL Cymru states.

Older people are often a target for scammers, so it’s important to be aware of phone scams and how to handle them.

Fortunately, there are things you can do to protect yourself:

• Don’t reveal personal details. Never give out personal or financial information (such as your bank account details or your PIN) over the phone, even if the caller claims to be from your bank. 
• Hang up. If you feel harassed or intimidated, or if the caller talks over you without giving you a chance to speak, end the call. It may feel rude to hang up on someone, but you have the right not to be pressurised into anything.
• Ring the organisation. If you’re unsure whether the caller is genuine, you can always ring the company they claim to be from. Make sure you find the number yourself and don’t use the one provided by the caller. 
• Don’t be rushed. Scammers will try to rush you into providing your personal details. They may say they have time-limited offer or claim your bank account is at risk if you don’t give them the information they need right away.