TWO incidents reported in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph have highlighted the dangers of buying things from strangers at the door.

An 87-year-old widow lost several hundred pounds after a man conned his way into her home claiming to be a builder and offering to do work on the property.

And details were released about a serial conman who has deceived vulnerable elderly people across West Yorkshire and East Lancashire.

He offers two alarms, one for the house and one a portable, for £200. They can easily be bought at Halfords for £10.

Usually, police and Trading Standards have been unable to pursue charges as selling on an item is not an offence, even if he has been dishonest in achieving the inflated price.

But when he called at the 75-year-old's home in Woodville Terrace, Darwen, he pretended to be working for Age Concern and Help the Aged on behalf of the police.

Such a deception is an criminal offence and the police and Trading Standards are now investigating to hunt down the man.

The stock advice is don't buy anything from anyone who simply knocks at the door.

This would appear to be more sinister than just buying goods at the door.

In the second case, it would appear that there has been some deception as far as the sale of these goods is concerned. We will liaise with the police on this matter.

Vicky Shepherd, of Age Concern for Blackburn and Darwen, backs that up when she says: "We don't visit anyone without first making an appointment and all our staff carry identification cards."