Warning over bogus prisoner selling scam

The culprits claim to be ex-prisoners who are attempting to mend their ways, before trying to sell the householder everyday household products at very high prices.

The callers may also carry ID with official-looking logos, but which are fake.

The local probation service provider, The Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland Community Rehabilitation Community, do not run a scheme in which offenders are encouraged to sell merchandise from door to door.

Trading Standards is advising residents to refrain from buying at the doorstep and not to be pressured from 
salespeople offering supposedly one-off ‘buy it now’ low prices.

However, often kind-hearted residents feel they are helping these alleged former convicts to turn their lives around, so agree to buy their products.

If approached by people claiming to be working on probation selling products door-to-door, people should call police on 101.