People are being conned everyday, and there is not much can be done to stop it, except to warn people and hope that they will recognise it, if and when it occurs!

I am very wary of phone calls as I can't be sure that the caller is who they say they are! It may well be a genuine call, but what if it isn't!

They'll ask you to confirm your name, your address, your date of birth, your age and by the end of the call, they will have information they may not have had to begin with.

You may receive a phone call stating that they are doing security checks on homes in your area to determine weak spots where burglars might gain access. We are asked what kind of windows, doors and security locks we already have. Then we will be told that one of their people will call to see us, and if there are any days or times that we are not at home or unavailable. They now know when it will be safe to call, and all about our home.

Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of genuine, honest people out there. It is just becoming more difficult to know who to trust.

I won't let anyone into my home that can't prove who they are and who they work for. I'd rather ask for a business card and say I will phone them when I have had time to think about it.

I will not be badgered into doing anything, saying anything, or giving any kind of information to anyone, whether at the door or on the phone. I tell people to contact me by mail. If the caller is from a legitimate company, there should be no problem doing that.

Most important of all, I will never give my bank details to anyone over the phone. I feel it is unprofessional to request this information over the phone, but it seems to be the norm these days. Personally, I would ask for a debit form to be sent to me to complete in the privacy of my home, and for the purpose of seeing that the company is legitimate.

Finally, when I answer the phone and hear Congratulations, you have won a prize' I immediately replace the receiver. If I have genuinely won something, there should be a person on the other end of the line asking for an address to have my prize delivered to, not a recorder telling me to phone another number.

Let common sense prevail and if in doubt, check it out.

Ms F. Van Rooyen Kendal