Lottery winner penniless after scam

Stephen Cox, who won over £100,000 on the National Lottery, has been left with nothing, after falling victim to a horrible scam by cowboy builders. He has been forced to live on benefits - and pay for his gas and electricity through pre-payment meters.

Stephen, who lives in Walkden in Greater Manchester, won £101,000 on the lottery in 2003. By managing the cash carefully, the 63-year-old retired factory worker still had £80,000 left. That was until he met two criminals determined to part him from his cash.

The Manchester Evening News reported that conmen knocked on his door back in the spring and told him he needed work to fix his roof because it was causing damp. He tried to tell them he didn't want any work doing, but they put him under so much pressure, that he felt he had to agree to hand over £60,000.
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In the end they walked him into local branches of banks and building societies over a period of two months and persuaded him to withdraw almost £80,000 - which is all the money he had. The pair never did a moment's work on his roof.

The Mirror reported that Stephen was so embarrassed that he didn't want to tell anyone. However, a neighbour persuaded him to call the police.

Greater Manchester Police have issued efit photographs of the men, and have urged anyone who recognises them to come forward. Anyone with information should phone the police on 0161 856 2089 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Won't take no for an answer

One of the striking aspects of this case is that Stephen wasn't convinced by the cowboys from the outset. He was wary when they knocked on the door, and initially turned them away, refusing their offer to complete the work. It was only when he was put under pressure over several weeks that he capitulated. It demonstrates that following the advice to 'just say no' to cowboys is not always easy.

It's important to know that when someone shows up on your doorstep, there is absolutely no requirement to let them in. You are perfectly entitled to put a chain on the door when you open it, and politely ask them to leave, before closing it again.

If they raise concerns about your property, or offer to do work, it's always a good idea to refuse, and then contact a reputable tradesperson separately to ask them if the work really needs to be done.

When asked to leave, the cowboys should go immediately. If they don't, or if they keep coming back, you can call the police on the non-emergency 101 number. If you feel in immediate danger you can call 999. If you are being pestered by tradespeople, try to make a note of their registration number so that you can pass it onto the police.