Doctors in Braintree are warning elderly people to be on their guard after a man claiming to be from occupational therapy called at the home of a couple in their 90s and tried to sell them an orthopaedic bed for £3,000.
The couple were given impression that the man, who called at their home on Monday, had been sent by their doctor.
They contacted their son for advice and he checked with their GP at the St Lawrence Medical Practice in Braintree, who knew nothing about the caller.
A spokeswoman for the practice said, "We would not give out information on patients and would ask people to be aware that such callers would not be referred by their GP."
The elderly couple did not part with any money and managed to deter the caller after asking the man for his name and business card and contacting their son.
Published Monday January 5, 2004
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