Scam alert - fraudsters pretending to be tradesmen seeking payment

Sussex Police are highlighting a scam in which fraudsters are emailing members of the public who are expecting to make a payment for property repairs.
Sussex PoliceSussex Police
Sussex Police

The fraudsters will pretend to be a tradesman who has recently completed work at the property and use a similar email address to that of the genuine tradesman.

They will ask for funds to be transferred via bank transfer.

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Once payment is made the victims of the scam soon realise they have been deceived when the genuine tradesman requests payment for their services.

Protect yourself

Always check the email address is exactly the same as previous correspondence with the genuine contact.

For any request of payment via email verify the validity of the request with a phone call to the person who carried out the work.

Check the email for spelling and grammar as these signs can indicate that the email is not genuine.

Payments via bank transfer offer no financial protection; consider using alternative methods such as a credit card or PayPal which offer protection and an avenue for recompense.