ROGUE traders and conmen who trick elderly and vulnerable people out of thousands of pounds are being targeted by a council and police joint-initiative.

Redbridge Trading Standards and Safer Neighbourhood Teams have launched Operation Liberal which will be rolled out across the borough.

Teams are patrolling neighbourhoods in the borough and giving advice to raise awareness of fraudsters posing as workers offering their services.

The initiative comes after the council was forced to cut services which allowed residents to report suspicious doorsteppers and locate safe companies to contract work to.

A council spokesman said: “Redbridge Council and police are determined to stop these crimes and urge those who may have fallen victim or who feel they are currently being targeted to contact us as a matter of urgency.”

Advice includes asking for a written rather than verbal quote on work and asking for proof of identity and then phoning their company to check they are who they say they are.