City folk have been warned after a fraudster was reported to be posing as a patio and driveway cleaner to extort large amounts of cash.

A warning has been issued by Norfolk Trading Standards after the man was reported operating in Hellesdon last week.

The scam sees him cold call at people's doors offering to do work for an extortionate price, if he is turned down he continues to reduce his price until his target accepts.

In one incident reported to the regulator, the scammer convinced a man to pay him to carry out work only for a family member to intervene just before he started.

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Following the scam attempts, Trading Standards has told city folk to never deal with doorstep tradesmen and to never agree to have work done by someone who has approached them randomly.

It believes the cold caller could move on to other parts of the city and to other Norfolk locations.

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Anyone sighting the scammer should call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 or Norfolk Police via 101.

If anyone is being intimidated or fraudsters target vulnerable neighbours then 999 should be called.