A family are warning residents to be on their guard after a flat cap-wearing conman used a bird's nest to try to trick an elderly woman out of £220 in a gut-cleaning scam.
The pensioner agreed to pay £35 to have her gutters cleared after a doorstop tradesman with an Irish accent turned up unannounced in a van at her Knypersley home.
But when the 'work' was completed, the man - who had a mole on his cheek - claimed the job was more tricky than he expected and produced a nest which he claimed to have removed.
He then demanded an extra £185 and even suggested that she could go to the cashpoint to withdraw the cash.
Now Staffordshire Police are also urging residents in the Biddulph area to be cautious following the incident on Tuesday (October 13).
Writing about the ordeal on Facebook, the daughter of the victim said: "There are potential scammers doing the rounds in the Biddulph area.
"They were in Knypersley. The man knocked at my mum's asking her if she would like her gutters cleaning for £35.
"Twenty minutes later he tells my mum he had to remove a bird's nest and had put plastic mesh in the guttering and that came to £220.
"Luckily for my mum, she neither had the cash or knew how to use the ATM so called me to take her.
"The guy returned to collect his money and got me.
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"Upon asking him to show me photos of his work, an invoice for the work completed and his contact details he left!
"Now I haven't been up to check mum's guttering but I'll be highly surprised if it's been touched when we check.
"It seems like he's knocking on in areas where the elderly live."
Residents who believe they were targeted by the same man are urged to contact the police.
A Staffordshire Police spokeswoman said: "We have had reports of a male knocking on doors in the Biddulph area offering to clear gutters for £35. He then produces a bird's nest and charges the resident over £200 for the job.
"The description we have is of an older male with an Irish accent, wearing a flat cap and a mole on one of his cheeks, he is driving a white flatbed van."
Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting incident 352 of October 13.
