Police are hunting for a fraudster who posed as an electrician to try and scam north-east residents out of money by posing as an electrician.
A man dressed in Scottish and Southern Electric (SSE) uniform approached two homes in Huntly and claimed if occupants did not hand over money their power would soon go off.
And last night police urged north-east residents to be on their guard against future attempts to scam them in this manner.
The fraudster approached homes on Fraser Court and Nelson Street on Wednesday.
He is described as being 6ft tall with a large build, short brown hair and an English accent and was in the company of another man.
Constable Kelsey Stewart urged people who encounter suspicious people coming to their door to contact officers.
She said: “We are appealing for witnesses in relation to this concerning incident which, clearly for the victims, will have been extremely upsetting.
“If you saw these males in the areas mentioned and can assist police get in touch.
“Anyone who sees suspicious activity should contact police on 101.
“We would also like to remind residents not to let unknown callers into their homes and if you are suspicious about a caller ask to see their identification and call the police.
“We also ask that people look out for more vulnerable individuals and elderly relatives in their communities.”
And Neil Wilson, head of North Caledonia at SSE, said employees of the company will never ask for money upfront.
He said: “This is a disgraceful act by people posing to be working for SSEN attempting to scam others out of their money. Our staff will never ask for money and if you, a friend or family member are targeted we implore you to call the police straightaway.
“We are doing everything we can to help the people that have been targeted.
“All SSE staff carry identification to prove their company credentials and we would encourage anyone to challenge them if they are unsure or to call us 0800 300 999 to speak with our customer call centre to validate the visit to their property.”
