An elderly Dundee couple were duped into handing over a three-figure sum of money to bogus roofers.
Police have urged householders to be on their guard after the incident in Gowrie Park on Wednesday.
The couple in their seventies were in their home on Lochinver Crescent about 11 am when two men came to their door claiming to be maintenance workers.
They said they were there to check the roof and the couple took them to be genuine.
The men claimed to identify a problem the couple did not know about and needed payment in advance to fix it.
The couple gave them a three-figure sum understood to be around £500 to carry out the work and watched as the workmen climbed up the ladder to their roof.
They assumed that the workmen did the work they said they would but later discovered that no work was done.
The episode left the couple shocked at the audacity of the conmen who were aged 25 to 30, and Police Scotland Tayside Division said they were too upset to speak about the experience.
The first suspect is described as being 5ft 6in, with short hair which was longer on top, wearing three gold rings on his wedding finger.
The second suspect is described as being 6ft, of slim build. Officers are keen to trace a Volkswagen Caddy van which was seen in the area.
Anyone with information on the incident especially the registration number of the van should contact police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
Conmen often scout an area and target elderly and vulnerable householders who take it on trust that those who call at their door are genuine.
“Every year, Tayside Division receives complaints from householders who have been left out-of-pocket due to so-called workmen who vanished, leaving jobs half-done, or badly finished, typically having received a large cash sum in advance,” said a police spokeswoman.
“With no contact details, contract, invoice or business card, the victim has no way of tracing the workmen or so-called company.
“There are also bogus callers who knock at a door claiming to represent a company or authority with the sole intention of conning their way in, distracting the householder and stealing from them.”
Police urged householders to be vigilant and to look out for one another.
People should be suspicious of anyone arriving unannounced, not let anyone in without proof of identity and never bow to pressure to pay in advance.
Very important is that householders should not be persuaded to allow unknown callers into their home, take them to a bank or cash machine to withdraw cash, and never hand over a bank card with access details.