door to door conman

[Lydia]

I've just been had by a conman posing as a window cleaner - in SE5 - Grove Hill Road. He seems to be doing the rounds so I just wanted to warn people in the area to be careful, and alert police if he comes to you. Very plausible!

[Louisa]

What exactly happened? Plus could you please give a description of the man in question Lydia.

Louisa.

[Dez]

He makes an appearance every so often. I seem to remember there was a thread about him or that scam. He usually says that his mates are just down the road and they'll be along to do the job in a couple of hours. His rates are reasonable, I seem to remember though, so not bad value for entertainment.

[Lydia]

I can't say I felt very entertained, or got any value at all for my wasted money. He was fairly non-descript - white, late middle-age, short dark, possibly receding hair, stocky medium build, London. As Dez said, he does a number when he pretends to ring up his hirelings up the road and arrange for them to come, then demands the money in advance - which made sense as i was going to be out. Caught mid-work, I clearly acted hastily. But afterwards I rather got the feeling he was casing up the joint - he commented on the doorkeys hanging on the front door several times, as if solicitously, and obviously had a good (apparently valid) chance to check windows and daily routines. I feel he should be easy enough to catch, if enough people know about him. He tried something similar with another neighbour in Ivanhoe, but didn't ask for money upfront - just said he'd send his people a few hours later. So that can surely only have been about assessing potential future burglarly victims, I'd have thought.

[Dave337]

Not a window cleaner, but my wife answered the door to a young (early 20s) skinny white guy this evening who said his company were offering free surveys of Victorian houses external walls (!). He said that 'your neighbours had suggested I call in the evening as they would be out at work all day - is that the same for you' and then handed over a flyer and asked for a home telephone number (no doubt to ring up to check if anyone at home). My wife said we didn't have a home phone, only a mobile, to which he said they couldn't take a mobile number unless we also gave him a home number and promptly took the flyer back and walked off. Very unsettling and feel well and truly cased - beware.

Heber Road by the way.

Anyone else experienced the same? I will be emailing the Safer Neighbourhood team to make them aware.

[Sonners]

Dave, I had the same thing last night but it was a young girl. I must admit I didn't think about it being someone casing the place although it is suspicious now that you mention it with them asking if they should call at night. I fortunately didn't answer that question because as soon as they asked for a phone number I said that I wasn't interested. I pointed out that I had their leaflet if I wanted work doen in the future at which point the girl said that there were no contact details on it and took it back! Seems very fishy indeed.

[karter]

Hi Dave, I had a guy with that description knock on the door yesterday. He was from Apex construction saying the same thing and asking if someone could ring in the evening, he was drinking a can of strongbow. I just gave his flier back and said not interested, thank you and goodbye.

[HonaloochieB]

Just some points of information.

We bunco artists always refer to it as casing the joint or 'sussing out the drum' when inspecting premises.

And Karter no self respecting flim-flam man would turn up slugging a can of Strongbow.

Jesus, don't they teach them anything in approved school these days.

[tequila]

We have just had the same guy - offering us an external survey of our victorian house for free - he was really pushing for our home phone number and was very insistent. Even when we said we were not interested he said could he take our no. anyway so that one of his inspectors could call us in a few days to check he was doing his job properly - felt really uncomfortable.

Very odd!

[kristymac1]

We had the same guy last night (Jennings Road), but he didn't get as far as asking for the home phone - hubbie gave him short shrift (as he always does to uninvited evening door knockers) and he left without any agro. Same story, neighbours recommended..... victorian wall survey...blahblah.

[Lydia]

Has anyone told the police about this one?

[dullwitch]

Sonners Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Dave, I had the same thing last night but it was a

> young girl. I must admit I didn't think about it

> being someone casing the place although it is

> suspicious now that you mention it with them

> asking if they should call at night. I

> fortunately didn't answer that question because as

> soon as they asked for a phone number I said that

> I wasn't interested. I pointed out that I had

> their leaflet if I wanted work doen in the future

> at which point the girl said that there were no

> contact details on it and took it back! Seems

> very fishy indeed.

I just had a woman knock on the door about half an hour ago on Upland road, saying the same thing. She had rather strange, very dry dark hair that was dyed blue on top(odd!)

She said something about them being a new company and wanting to introduce themselves to the area, by doing external wall surveys, checking for weather damage, etc.

As soon as she said "No obligation" alarm bells went. I asked to think about it and tried to keep the leaflet, but she took it off me saying it was the only one and I couldn't keep it (WTF!) If you were really trying to drum up business, you'd have some leaflets printed to give out, wouldn't you?

No sure what it was about, but very suspect.

[karter]

Hey dullwitch, i too asked to keep the leaflet but the guy said he needed it back and said many people are interested and the leaflets are needed. He tried to keep his can of booze hidden. Didn't work.

[TillieTrotter]

Sorry if I come across as being smug, but this is one of the many benefits of living in a gated close. No junk mail, no casing of drums, no Jehovah's witnesses etc.

[thepc]

Hi,

yesterday I was reading the above comments only to find these guys had collared my wife (Upland Road) whilst in the middle of bathing the kids. She gave them our telephone number (the wrong one, good girl) just to get rid of them. They did however leave the elusive note.

The company claims to be

Apex Direct Promotions Ltd

Sunley House

57-67 High Street

Edgeware

HA8 7DD

0800 282 723

Would are acting for a licensed service provider offering a free condition assessment

The inspection service is to be carried out by Andura Licensed Service Provider (no details)

I have not checked these guys out but thought it should be made available for everyone who has been bothered by these guys.

[Sonners]

Just came across this http://www.talkswindon.org/index.php?topic=3730.0 so looks like they are hard sell sales men that have moved on from Swindon.

[ianr]

Apex Direct Promotions as above are registered at Companies House: incorporated November 2007. The Andura might be Andura Coatings Ltd of London E1, who seem from their former names to be in masonry paints. The only other names beginning Andura are registered at one Bicester address.

[dullwitch]

Many thanks for the link Sonners, I'm so pleased I went with my gut instinct. I think I might be investing in some gates TillieTrotter! :))

[EDmummy]

I always tell them I am not the home owner and renting - gets rid of them straight away.

[mumra]

We had the call from Apex today- behind Goose Green. Very pushy and did not like it when I would not give my phone no. Refused to leave me the leaflet unless I took them up on the offer. Wanted to know whether I would be in mornings or pms for an assessment but did not want me to ask my other half and call them back. Kept pushing for times we were in and phone no so told police who apparently sent a van out to track them down. There were 4 guys operating on our road at the time, so they are obviously doing one area at a time. The guy we had was very persuasive and I can see people falling for this unfortunately.

[Louisa]

Sadly Mr Louisa was taken in by this young guy from "Apex Promotions" last night and while he didnt seem pushy, he was quite stand offish about the finer details of this and seemed to want a telephone number more than anything. After reading everything I have just come off phone to a gentleman who answered the above number and I was very rude to him (possibly undeserved), but I am a little p*ssed off to think someone could fall for this! I have called the police up to report this incident and am now on my guard constantly worrying about the posibility of this guy or one of his friends calling round again. Keep an eye out everyone.

Louisa.

[dulwichflower76]

A few nights ago, my mum (Ulverscroft Rd) was also taken in by young guy from Apex Promotions. She said the guy wasn't pushy, quite chatty but keen for a telephone number. It was only after he had left, she realised something wasn't right. I haven't called the police yet to report incident but from what I'm reading on here,but I will do. Now I feel worried.

dulwich flower

[ianr]

I'm getting confused now. In what way are the 'Apex Promotions' people (Dave337's post onward) a police matter rather than inept and possibly objectionable cold callers, getting potential contacts for a 'real' salesperson to make the real pitch? Is there any suggestion that they're not in fact who they say they are? Has anyone asked them what happens with the phone number and why a mobile one apparently won't do?

[ED118Mike]

Hi I had the salesman from APEX around my house this morning. The visit was just as described by [www.talkswindon.org] . It took me ages (nearly 2 hrs) to get rid off him. He quoted me 20k. Product seemed quite genuine. The DVD was very informative with Michael Fish presenting the product. He was very pushy but that is just a typical great salesman. I negotiated down to 13K but in the end I got rid of him. I feel sorry for old people taken in by this type of cold selling.

[KalamityKel]

You had to pay to get rid of him?

:-$ I think I'm missing the point entirely! What exactly was the quote for?