VIGILANT bank staff foiled a bid by a rogue trader to fleece an elderly man out £1,000.

It was the latest in spate of incidents. Essex Police say that they are receiving weekly reports of rogue traders scamming elderly people out of hundreds of pounds in South Essex.

Last Friday, they were contacted by a bank in Rayleigh after staff became concerned about an elderly customer - a man thought to be in his eighties- who was trying to withdraw thousands of pounds.

When questioned about why he was withdrawing so much money, he told staff that he was having some work done by a plumber who had found a leak at his home in Benfleet.

The bank staff suspected that he was being conned and alerted the police.

Officers attended the bank and the man’s home in Lea Road, Benfleet, to assess what work was being carried out and why. It was established that very little work had been completed and the man had already withdrawn a similar amount a few days beforehand from a different branch.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “One of our main priorities is protecting vulnerable people.

“These kind of incidents are happening weekly in our district and these are the ones we know about.

“If you are a family member, neighbour, friend or a carer for someone who is vulnerable and suspect they are being taken advantage of please contact Essex Police on 101, or report the matter online.

“Quite often rogue traders will knock on neighbours doors touting for work or to identify their next victim. What appears to be innocent may not be and we urge members of the public to be vigilant.”

Police advised people to never agree to work on the doorstep and to get a written quote instead, to carry out checks on the builder and ask for their business card and check to see if they exist.

Police say that people should never allow someone they do not know to enter their premises, nor leave them alone and they should ask for assistance from a friend, carer or neighbour.

Anyone with any information about this incident can call Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Alternatively, visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org.