A relative of an elderly man who was targeted by a pair of scammers in north Dublin has warned other locals to be vigilant for their older neighbours and family members.
It is understood that two men gained access into an elderly man's house and into his back garden in Ballygall on Tuesday.
They tricked the pensioner into letting them into his home, falsely claiming to be maintenance men who needed to check roof tiles in the area.
After a quick examination, the duo then requested money from the elderly man to fix the roof.
His relative said that the man immediately suspected that something suspicious was happening and called her.
She said: "Thankfully nothing was robbed and the man wasn't injured but he's badly shook.
"He had the good reaction to call a relative during the situation and the perpetrators quickly left. Gardai phoned, visited and took details."
Speaking about a similar scam that took place earlier this year, a spokesman for the Gardai advised people to do the following before handing over money to a charity or anyone else.
"No genuine business or charity will mind you carrying out your own enquiries or calling An Garda Síochána.
"If a person calls to your door offering you professional trade services, selling goods or collecting for a charity and you are worried they are not bona fide, tell the caller that you never deal with people who ‘cold call’ to your door.
"Ask for a brochure or documentation so you can carry out checks and verify their credibility.
"We always want to hear if there are people in the area who may be offering goods or services that are not genuine so don't be afraid to pick up the phone and call us."
