RESIDENTS are warned to remain vigilant of scams following suspicious activity in Shotton.

The Online Watch Link (OWL) association on received a report of a suspicious cold caller in the Stoneleigh Close area of Shotton on Tuesday.

The young female called at the door of a property and said that they needed an hour of their time to assess their PIP (Personal Independent Payment) benefits. The resident said they had a doctors appointment and did not allow the female access.

When the resident returned from their appointment they contacted the PIP Authority who advised that they would have written to them if they wished to do this.

And the OWL have urged vigilance by local residents.

A statement on their website said: ''Please be wary of cold callers at your door. Do not allow anyone access to your property until you are certain of who they are. Remember, identification cards may not be genuine.

Residents are reminded by OWL of the three step plan for dealing with cold callers:

1. If in doubt, keep them out. It sounds simple, but if you don’t let someone in - they will go away. Don’t let them pressure you into opening the door.

2. Be prepared. Be in control. Think about what to say to doorstep cold callers in advance. And keep a list of key contact numbers near your phone so you can check out legitimate callers. Ask all other unwanted callers to go away.

3. Call a neighbour or the police. Contact a local relative or nominated neighbour who can help verify a cold caller. If you think someone is a rogue trader call Police on 101. To report a distraction burglar or rogue trader who has taken your money and is still in the area - call 999.