POLICE are investigating doorknocking conmen posing as tradesmen who are preying on households hit by last Saturday's torrential hailstorm.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
Households in three of the worst damaged areas - the south-eastern suburbs of Rowville, Scoresby and Lysterfield - have been targeted. One elderly Lysterfield woman was fleeced of $3000.
RACV Victoria claims manager John Simpson said the small, well-organised group of men surveyed streets and pinpointed certain damage to homes. If, for instance, there were homes with broken glass, the group would claim to be glaziers working on behalf of the RACV. ''They are looking for opportunities to do general repairs,'' Mr Simpson said. ''They drive through and see what they can do. As was the case with that elderly woman, they have targeted someone who is vulnerable.''
While only a handful of reports have been received, Mr Simpson fears more unsuspecting households in the worst-hit areas have been conned. ''We are extremely disappointed that RACV members are being targeted and the RACV brand being abused by unscrupulous operators when our members are dealing with the impact of this event.''
Rowville police have also launched an investigation.
Mr Simpson said the conmen persuaded victims to sign agreements and make credit-card payments for work. He said RACV representatives carried clear authorisation and identification. ''That's the key thing to look for,'' Mr Simpson said.
Mr Simpson said that unless such authorisation was given, households should not agree to any inspection of their property or to any suggested work.
The wild weekend storms caused mass flash flooding and hail damage across Melbourne. Hailstones the size of tennis balls hit some suburbs.
The Insurance Council of Australia said there had been more than $220 million worth of damage to cars and homes, leading to more than 40,000 insurance claims.
The ICA declared the storm a "catastrophe".
