INVERCLYDE people are being reminded to beware callous conmen following an unusual incident in Greenock.

Scottish Water said three men wearing yellow high-visibility jackets called at the house of a woman in Glamis Drive and falsely told her someone had carried out a survey about dangerous manhole covers in her garden two weeks earlier.

The men said they had come to replace the covers and then dug out the surrounds of the covers in the customer’s garden, saying someone would return to replace them, but no one came back.

The customer, who did not ask for identification, said there was no Scottish Water vehicle to be seen in the area at the time of the incident.

Neither Inverclyde Council nor the housing association which owns the property know anything about any work required on the manholes.

Scottish Water is now checking the drain beneath the manhole that the bogus callers lifted and is reminding customers, including vulnerable and elderly people, that they should always follow their ‘Three Cs’ rule — card, check and call — if they are visited by a doorstep caller.

Mark Maclaren, the company’s regional communities team manager, said: “When they receive a cold call from anyone claiming to be from Scottish Water, a contractor, another utility or any other organisation, they should under no circumstances open the door without first checking the caller’s identity card or letter.

“This should be passed through the letter box for verification. This stops a bogus caller forcing their way in, even if the door is ajar, or on a chain.

“If you are in any doubt about the caller’s identity, please call our customer helpline on 0845 601 8855.

“Our staff and contractors never call at a customer’s home to collect money.” To help protect customers against bogus callers, Scottish Water is again offering an Anti-Bogus Caller Pack containing a personal electronic alarm, window sensor, door viewer, UV marker pen and guard bar.

Mr Maclaren said: “We have introduced this pack because of a spate of bogus caller incidents where criminals pose as Scottish Water employees in order to gain access to customers’ property.

“The packs have proven to be a great success in previous years, and this year we’re again offering them to vulnerable customers.” Packs are available to the first 50 customers contacting Scottish Water by emailing customermarketing@scottishwater.co.uk or writing to Scottish Water, Bogus Caller Pack, Customer Marketing, PO Box 8855 Edinburgh EH10 6YQ.