Bogus Window Cleaner
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sniffer
Posts: 36
Joined: Mar 2008
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14-09-2009 05:52 PM
In reply to Mac 09, K Bowden of Chatham told me in early August that he would return to clean my windows on 28 August. He and his mate duly turned up on that date and did their stuff but without first knocking to let me know. Otherwise they seemed fine. So maybe Mr Bowden is straight.
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dbboy
Posts: 201
Joined: Feb 2009
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06-10-2009 02:19 PM
A window cleaning scam has been taking place in part of Honor
Oak, asking for money before windows are cleaned, then promising the window cleaner will come later in the day and who never comes back.
When saying you'll pay the window cleaner the guy collecting the money says he doesn't allow the cleaners to handle money. This has been done at least twice on 2nd October.
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brian
Posts: 2,002
Joined: Apr 2005
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08-10-2009 09:23 AM
Very sad that people fall for such criminal scams but I know older persons can be very trusting.
They scamers should be strung up on One Tree Hill as a warning
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Tinkerbell
Posts: 361
Joined: Dec 2007
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08-10-2009 11:45 AM
More creativity, please. Make them clean all of SE23's windows for free.
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Johnc
Posts: 138
Joined: Jan 2007
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08-10-2009 11:49 AM
I always think that the victims of petty crime should chose the punishment from a predefined list. Obviously each list to fit the severity of the crime
I'm sure we could all come up with suitable punishements!
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Londondrz
Posts: 1,538
Joined: Apr 2006
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08-10-2009 12:19 PM
Bring back the stocks. Pelt them with tomatoes.
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brian
Posts: 2,002
Joined: Apr 2005
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08-10-2009 01:38 PM
I agree 48 hours in the stocks would be a good start.
The law at present is an ass.
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michael
Posts: 3,261
Joined: Mar 2005
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08-10-2009 03:03 PM
I have a set of stocks that I can rent out to anybody who needs them to deal with bogus window cleaners.
Just send me ?20 and I will send a man round with the stocks. And for a specially limited period I will throw in the tomatoes for free!
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Perryman
Posts: 822
Joined: Dec 2006
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roz
Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
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08-10-2009 08:29 PM
Unfortunately some folk are just very gullible. No one should hand over any money before any work is done. As long as there are fools out there there will always be scamsters. I do have sympathy for some elderly people but overall, we should all know better.
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Cidered
Posts: 50
Joined: Nov 2007
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16-03-2010 05:00 PM
At the risk of re-opening the debate about whether a community punishment based on throwing tomatoes at petty crooks would be an effective deterrent to potential scamsters...did anyone in HOP/FH get a visit from a band of window cleaners yesterday?
I have to say their customer care was pretty poor (banged on window, rather than using the doorbell and they were very shouty) but prices sounded good (£5), perhaps too good. I declined their kind offer and will continue to peer outside through a film of London grime.
Perhaps I'm being too cautious, but if they come back I'll release the hounds.
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Madasahat
Posts: 5
Joined: Feb 2008
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07-05-2010 12:03 PM
I am writing this feeling very embarrassed and angry as I think I have been scammed; well and truly! A stocky chap , 45 - 50, short hair, blue sweat shirt , jeans , trainers offered to do windows. claimed to be part of ECLIPSE cleaners working in area. Paid him up front to do windows AND clean guttering to the tune of £40. I have reported it to local crime officer. Chap is meant to be coming back at 4pm today. some hope. Just letting you know so be warned and don't be as daft as me!!
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tripandfuschia
Posts: 68
Joined: Apr 2010
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08-05-2010 03:24 PM
There was a similar scam in Haredon Close/ Dunoon rd last year. The window cleaner managed to get the name of one neighbour....and then went knocking on the doors saying ' I do mrs .... windows regularly, I'm coming this afternoon and seeing if anyone else wants theirs done' Unfortunately because he had a name and because another neighbour had tried earlier to organise a window cleaner and canvased for interest in the road some people were taken in.
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tripandfuschia
Posts: 68
Joined: Apr 2010
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08-05-2010 03:28 PM
I will say Roz that when the earlier scam happened the police had a very different attitude to you, they stressed no one should feel bad that they had been trusting and had been tricked, and it is a trick by some quite psychologically aware person, who obviously was using a thought through method to extract cash
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Madasahat
Posts: 5
Joined: Feb 2008
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08-05-2010 04:32 PM
Unsurprisingly he did not show up. Nor do I expect him ever to darken my doorstep unless it is to break in one night - I even showed him how the window cleaners could get in unassisted into the back garden !! (I must have been in la-la land yesterday) The cheeky *** even gave me his mobile number (07951900809 ) which I phoned there and then to check it was valid. Since then I googled the number and it came up on a website called " WHOCALLSME" [whocallsme.com] and it showed tha this chap has been quite active in South ast London
But the local police have been very helpful and did not laugh too much. And I have put in extra security.
The police did say that more people should come forward and tell them if they have a similar experience and not to feel embarrassed - it happens to the best of us! (I am going to put up one of those signs my parents have " No hawkers, circulars, callers, etc.... etc...... because a gullible fool lives here!! )
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Hawkesrah
Posts: 69
Joined: Aug 2009
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08-05-2010 04:50 PM
I find this sort of scam is frequently a favourite of Irish crooks who could be involved in burglaries too. I have had a fake BT rep call here but when I heard the Irish accent I told him I dont have a phone.
Another con they use is to pretend to be painters and decorators where the idea is to get inside the premises and case it with a view to burgling you. A friend of mine had these fake decorators call around. They had Irish accents and were fakes.
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sandy
Posts: 191
Joined: Oct 2006
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08-05-2010 04:54 PM
Maybe they were fake Irish accents.
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Jane_D
Posts: 189
Joined: Jan 2010
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09-05-2010 10:01 PM
I have to say, Madasahat, I think that 'window cleaner' guy is unusually persuasive. I fell for his patter a few years ago, only for about five minutes, but it was long enough for me to hand him some cash, shut the door, think 'oh bloody hell' and go to google his mobile number. I'm normally quite suspicious but there was something about his innocent expression and intimate knowledge of my neighbours' names and windows that convinced me.
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AMFM
Posts: 306
Joined: Oct 2007
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10-05-2010 09:41 AM
Hawkesrah - I do hope you're not suggesting that anyone with an Irish accent is a crook. It's an extremely offensive suggestion and, if it is what you are saying, deeply racist.
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Londondrz
Posts: 1,538
Joined: Apr 2006
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10-05-2010 10:03 AM
Sorry to hear you got caught out. Never ever part with money before a job is done and you are happy with it.
As for the Irish angle, before we all start getting worked up let read what was written and leave it there. I am sure there are crooks in Ireland as there are everywhere. Please let's not have a slanging match over "he said this, he said that". People are getting ripped off and conned, I dnt give a hoot what race, colour or creed the crooks are, they are ****** crooks.
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