‘You have a right to

Government minister reacts to Tele’s safety campaign

SCOTLAND’S communities minister has backed the Tele’s Safe as Houses campaign as she pledged to continue cracking down on bogus callers and rogue traders.

Annabelle Ewing offered her support after the Tele asked her what was being done on a nationwide level to beat the bogus callers.

She said: “It’s great to see the Evening Telegraph’s Safe As Houses campaign raising awareness of scams and helping readers to stay safe and secure in their homes and communities.

“No one should feel afraid in their own home and we will continue to work with our partners to target these criminals.”

Our community safety fightback, being run i n conjunction with Kean2Slaters and Dundee City Council, aims to protect you and your loved ones with tips on how not to fall victim to scammers.

Ms Ewing, minister for community safety and legal affairs and SNP MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, warned that dodgy salesmen were employing new tactics in order to part people from their cash.

She said: “While some rogue traders will pose as legitimate workmen offering roofing and paving services, we know that there is a growing trend of criminals pressurising consumers to sign up for a range of products which have been mis-sold.”

As part of its work in making local communities feel safer, the Scottish Government has funded the roll-out of call-blocking units to vulnerable communities in order to stop phone scammers in their tracks.

It has also supported organisations such as Neighbourhood Watch Scotland and Crimestoppers with hundreds of thousands of pounds of funding and commissioned research

Annabelle Ewing MSP