Has dm been scammed and does she have to pay? Advice needed

[pastaparadise]

Dm is early 80s and lives alone. She has dementia but lives at home with carers x3 per day and me visiting.

Today the carer arrived to find a workman in the house asking her for money. It turned out he'd cold called (sign on the door saying no cold callers), and offered to cut some branches off the tree outside. Apparently he then left and left his number regarding payment as my mum doesnt have cash in the house. My husband phoned later - he wants £400! Some branches have been cut down, but I really don't think it warrants that charge. He says he didn't realise dm has dementia, (and she is quite compliant to questions), but she is very impaired and I don't believe he couldn't have realised.

Would people offer token payment? None? Don't want him hassling mum but also feel he's completely taken advantage.

If there's no written agreement I'd say £40 to cover the time and minimal work, and don't come back.

I would report to trading standards and see what they say. So many older people get scammed by cold callers. If she lacks capacity to manage her money then she can't agree to pay any workmen.

Don’t pay a penny. This is a classic doorstep crime. Contact Trading Standards and tell the police on 101 just in case this “workman” has tried to scam anyone else. He is turns up again and he tries to intimidate her or offer to drive her to the bank - dial 999. Your DM is now a target as the scammers talk to each other. Beef up her security.

That is really bad - has anything gone missing from the house? Ask him for name and bank details - then if anything has gone missing you will have some way of tracking him. Tell him you need to set up a test payment of £1.00. Then I'd report him to the police.

No don't offer a token payment. She didn't have the mental capacity to agree to the work, it was dodgy abd exploitative for him to railroad her into this. I wouldn't describe it as a scam but it's certainly not the way a reputable business is run. When i needed a tree cut down I was sent a formal quote saying it would be £500 including grinding down and chemically treating the stump. I sent an email back saying yes please go ahead and booking a date. If I had later refused to pay there would be that paper trail proving that I knew and understood the costs and agreed to them. In this case it's only his word that says she even agreed - and she doesn't have the marbles to explain what she thought she was agreeing to even if he could prove she agreed. Do not pay a penny. Invite him to start court proceedings and stand in front of a judge and give reliable evidence as to the amount owed, and while he is at it explain why tricking vulnerable dementia patients out of hundreds of pounds is a legitimate way to earn a living.

Get her a Ring doorbell or similar asap and link it to your phones so that you can talk directly to any future cold callers, especially if this one comes back

And report to police and Trading standards as others have said - she won't be the only person they've scammed in the area unfortunately

It seems to be pretty complex and according to the websites given below may be affected by whether your mother has been been clinically assessed and diagnosed with dementia and/or whether you or someone else has power of attorney.

www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/legal-financial/dementia-mental-capacity-act#content-start

www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/dementia-rights-policy-discussion.pdf

From my point of view, I think it's pretty clear that the workman has completely taken advantage of a vulnerable, elderly person (whether they are impaired or not) and anyone who touts for business door-to-door is unlikely to be a reputable, qualified tradesperson.

I would tell him that your mother is not in a position to enter into a contract with anyone, verbally or otherwise and that he will not receive any payment. I doubt that he would take you to the small claims court, given the circumstances.

Thanks all. Yes she has a formal diagnosis and we have POA. No written quote provided by the workman.

We have been thinking about getting a ring doorbell, just a bit of a faff as she has no Internet. But I hate the idea that he'll pass on info that she's vulnerable so think we'll look into this.

He really needs to be reported to the police or he will scam some other vulnerable person. But if you would rather not then offer him say £50 for the work he did.

Unfortunately the no cold Callers sign might we'll have attracted this unscrupulous man. Scammers are known to target older people and look for things like this, grab rails and ramps for buggies. Apart from a ring doorbell look at what other signifiers may be outside. He could well tell others now he knows your Mum has dementia. He might come back.

When it happened to my parents, the workman drove them to the cash point machine and hit them to prepay extra work.
I called the police on my parents’ behalf and police came and interviewed them. £800 for a sweep of the driveway. The police just confirmed my parents were vulnerable to callers but noted it for their files. Worth reporting in case they still in area preying on the frail. So definitely report.

Should also add that if the police visit then it alerts the neighbours that your DM is frail and at risk, and might encourage neighbours to keep an eye on her.

Please report this scammer to the police immediately before other older people are targeted. I'm shocked that anyone should suggest you pay anything at all.

Report him to the police and don’t give him any money.

Your poor mum! It does appear very suspect, have you decided what to do?

No please do not pay!!! Your DM is not able to enter to into a contract. If he insists contact trading standards, he has likely done this to other unsuspecting people and should be penalised.