Elderly targeted by rogue gasfitters
April 27, 2011 at 2:39 pm
Criminals posing as gasfitters are door-stepping Britain’s elderly. Many vulnerable pensioners (particularly those who live alone) are falling victim to the scam, and finding themselves seriously out of pocket as a result.
It is not yet clear how long the criminals have been in operation, but British Gas (and other gas providers) has acted swiftly to notify and warn customers whom it feels may be susceptible to such illegal activity, and is taking steps to fight it.
British Gas has been successful in recent years in bringing unauthorised gas engineers to justice. Those who have been found guilty of fitting dangerous, carbon-monoxide emitting gas appliances and flues have been heavily fined in court. But, as yet, criminals preying on Britain’s elderly by insisting they need to ‘carry out important gas checks’ in their homes have yet to be caught.
After having their gas boiler, gas cooker or gas fire looked over by their visitor(s), some victims are then complying with demands for cash. They are unaware that they actually qualify for a free gas check, being of pensionable age. The illegal gasfitter then leaves and becomes untraceable.
Sadly, so many of the elderly victims are socially isolated and suffer from loneliness and depression. When a polite and helpful ‘gasfitter’ knocks on their door, they can feel glad of the company, and permit access without even asking to see any kind of credentials or official papers, such as a Gas Safe Register ID card (proof that a gas engineer is legally permitted to carry out gas repairs in the UK).
The older generation also generally possesses a natural respect for (and deference to) officialdom and authority. When a uniformed visitor knocks at their door, their first instinct is not usually one of suspicion, but of compliance. The rogue gasfitters know this and feed on it to almost effortlessly win an elderly person’s confidence, and to then gain entry to their home.
Even those who have their suspicions can be reluctant to report a visit from an illegal gasfitter, for fear of any reprisals. The irony is that information about possible illicit activity by rogue gas engineers operating across Britain can be made anonymously to the Gas Safe Register or by calling the helpline free on 0800 408 5500.
