Police warning over bogus callers

The reminder comes after a man claiming to be from NI Water called at the home of an elderly man in the Green earlier this month.

The caller was let into the house and proceeded to ‘check the taps’. He insisted several times that the homeowner go into another room and leave him, however the resident wisely stayed with him until he left.

Police believe this was a bogus caller attempting to gain an opportunity to steal from this house. It’s understood he may have called at another house in the same area that same day. On that occasion the elderly resident refused to let him in.

Lisburn Area Commander Chief Inspector Darrin Jones said no-one should let unsolicited callers into their home. “When a stranger calls at your door the first thing you should do is use your door chain to keep them outside. If you don’t have one, consider having one fitted” he said.

“Next, ask to ask to see their ID. Genuine callers will be happy to show you. Examine the ID closely. Some bogus callers will offer you a glimpse of a card and hope you’ll be fooled.

“If you are unsure the caller is who they claim, telephone QuickCheck on 0800 013 22 90.

“This call is free and will be answered by a trained operator. They will take the details of the company which the caller claims to represent, and then contact that organisation to determine if the caller is genuine. If there is anything suspicious the operator will contact police directly.

“The majority of utility companies operating in Northern Ireland have now signed up to and actively endorse the QuickCheck scheme.”