Gardai in Westmeath have said they will be tracking "bogus tradesman" after a number of incidents, including one which saw an elderly man robbed.
There has been a noticeable rise in the number of scammers and criminals attempting to swindle people out of their hard-earned money in the last 18 months.
A number of Garda operations are in place to target the fraudsters, with three arrests made in Westmeath recently.
It was due to an incident which saw a "tradesman" offer to help an elderly gentleman with his roof, which supposedly needed a repair, only to have ulterior motives.
A spokesperson explained on social media "This was a particularly serious crime where an elderly man was taken advantage of and a large sum of money fraudulently taken from him.
"Thankfully these men have been arrested and brought before the courts, however there may be others that have not reported a crime such as this.
"Please call Mullingar Garda Station at 044 938400 or Athlone at 09064 98550 and every effort will be made to assist you.
"Please tell elderly relatives never to accept work done to their property from people calling to the door. There are lots of experienced trades people in the county that will do a professional and honest job."
Anyone with information on scammers should contact their local Garda station.
READ NEXT:
- Vicky Phelan dies: Tributes to 'courageous' cervical cancer campaigner from Limerick
- In photos: How Vicky Phelan went from ordinary mum to one of Ireland's most important women
- Outpouring of tributes paid to 'courageous' Vicky Phelan who 'leaves a lasting legacy behind her'
- 'A woman of extraordinary courage' - Taoiseach leads tributes after death of Vicky Phelan at 48
