Man faces charges for pretending to be tradie, scamming people

A man has allegedly been scamming vulnerable people by pretending to be a tradie and offering services that never get done.

Police said in May they got reports of the 38-year-old man offering to fix a fence at a property in Rodney Street, Howick.

Senior Sergeant Simon Cornish said the victim's son contacted police after his elderly mother handed over more than $3500 to a man in a high vis who claimed to be a new neighbour fixing a fence.

"Unfortunately, this person was one of several who has fallen victim to this man who has then stolen from them.

"We will allege this man has targeted vulnerable members of our community, offering services in return for cash, however no work has actually been done."

The man has been charged with eight counts of obtains by deception and will appear in Manukau District Court on 18 November

Cornish said the incident was a reminder for people to check on family and friends to ensure money is not handed over to anyone carelessly.

"Scammers are highly convincing and often prey on people when they are vulnerable or under pressure

"Unfortunately, scams are increasingly common, and they are not always obvious, and no one is immune to being targeted.

"If something doesn't feel right, stop and verify the request through official channels before taking any action."