Operation Cosgrove - Age Cymru response
Published on 04 July 2014 12:30 PM
Age Cymru has welcomed the sentencing today of four men at Newport Crown Court for fraud against older people.
The gang cold-called older people across South Wales over an area stretching from Ebbw Vale to Cardiff to Gorseinon.
They carried out shoddy and overpriced work - and in some cases no work at all, on the homes of older people and took in almost £70,000.
The sentencing followed a two-year operation, called Operation Cosgrove, headed up by Scambusters Wales and involving South Wales Police, Gwent Police and Trading Standards.
Commenting on the case, Age Cymru's Campaigns Co-ordinator Gerry Keighley says:
"This is a great result for older people across South Wales thanks to the hard work of Scambusters Wales, Trading Standards, Gwent Police and South Wales Police.
"This case clearly illustrates the pressing need for greater protection for older and vulnerable people against criminal gangs who prey on them on their doorsteps.
"We need to stop that first knock on the door that leads to vulnerable people falling into their traps, which is why we Age Cymru's ‘Scams and swindles' campaign is calling for more No Cold Calling Zones to be established across Wales.
"Setting up more zones in a fast-tracked and cheaper way across Wales would give older people better defence against unscrupulous rogue traders and doorstep scammers. "