Cops in Scotland are hunting an Irish gang who have been scamming people by selling broken and smashed TVs.
The warning from police comes after a spike in people selling supposedly pricy electrical goods "off the back of a lorry".
Two people, in Dundee and Perth, were shown the televisions in boxes all bubble wrapped and which appear to be the real deal.
But they are not allowed to examine the set and when unpacking it at home they discovered that it was not the one on the box and had been broken or smashed.
Those involved in the Dundee incident are described as three white men, all well-built wearing smart clothing and speaking with Irish accents.
Cops have now urged anyone with similar experiences to come forward.
A statement from Tayside division reads: “We are currently investigating two incidents of fraud, one which occurred in Perth and the other in Dundee.
“Both are a version of a new type of fraud which has been reported from various places around the country.
“The scam involves a person being approached by someone offering to sell cheap new televisions.
“The victim is shown boxes containing TVs, which are bubble wrapped and appear to be the real thing, although they are not able to able to actually examine the sets.
“They then take the box home to discover the TV they have bought is not the one depicted on the box, and is broken or smashed.
“It goes without saying that if you are being offered knockdown items from the rear of a van or “off the back of a lorry” so to speak, they are unlikely to be legitimate.
“The people offering the items for sale can often be quite persuasive, intimidating or forceful.
“If you are confronted by anyone in this manner, do not feel pressurised into dealing with them and walk away. It is not rude to do so, and any legitimate salesperson would not be conducting their business in this manner.”
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