CommunitySafe.gov.uk

Residents of Hillside please beware of a possible scam that may be happening on our ward. This was brought to our attention by a resident for which i am grateful. Young men are calling door to doore purporting to be selling selling goods for a charity (The Organisation for Homeless and Unemployed People). Well-spoken, smartly dressed young men have been reported harassing residents into buying household goods with various hard luck stories. The goods considered over-priced by the residents include tea towels for £7.99 and scrubbing brushes for £2.When residents have been reluctant or simply not interested they have either been cajoled with hard luck tales of how their livelihood depends on the sale or subjected to verbal abuse.The names given by the group are ‘The Organisation For Homeless & Unemployed People’ PO Box 2457 Woodford Green IG8 1EE and ‘The Homeless & Unemployed Workgroup’ POBox 66 Loughton, Essex IG10 3UQ. A query with the post office has uncovered that the PO Box numbers are false and neither postcodes exist in the Loughton and Woodford Green area.Under new Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2007 pressurising a consumer into buying a product or service by telling them that if they do not buy then the trader’s job or livelihood will be in jeopardy could be a prohibited practice. Trading with a name that is not identifiable also infringes basic consumer protection legislation. Residents are advised to report any sightings of this group to Merton Trading standards on 020 8545 4018 or their local police station’s Safer Neighbourhood Team. A list of the SNT offices and contact numbers can be found on the Metropolitan Police website in the Merton safer neighbourhood section.