Crowdfund set up to help conned pensioner

85-year old Tadley man conned out of £1,000

TWO TADLEY residents have set up a crowdfunding page to help a pensioner who was targeted by cold callers and conned out of £1,000.

Cat Braybrooke, from Basingstoke and Pauline Norris, from Silchester have set up a Gofundme page to help reimburse his lost money.

On July 6, the 85-year-old Elmhurst resident was approached by three men, who claimed his roof needed cleaning.

He agreed to the work at a cost of £100. However, unnecessary work was added and the price soared to £1,850. The pensioner paid them £1,000 which he had in his home.

Through the crowdfunding page Ms Braybrooke and Ms Norris are hoping to raise £1,000 to give back to the victim. In less than a week they have raised more than £500.

Ms Braybrooke and Ms Norris had not met before setting up the page, but both wanted to help this man – even though they didn’t know him.

Ms Norris said; “Cat received a phone call from the man last week. He’s pretty shaken up by it. He has got dementia as well. He doesn’t want his name in the paper in case they come back. He’s worried about repercussions.

“Next week we are going to go with him and his family to his bank and transfer the money to his account.

“When we told him what we were doing he got really teary. He said ‘no one will pay’ and ‘that I was a stupid fool being conned that way.’”

Police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the work being carried out.

They are also trying to identify a vehicle that was parked in Stephens Road.

Anyone with any information should call the 24-hour police inquiry centre on 101, using the reference 44180255148.

To donate please go https://www.gofundme.com/85-year-old-tadley-man-scammed