A SHOCKED widower discovered his wife had "signed-up" for a new gas contract - 14 years after she died.

The sick con trick is the latest in a growing number of examples of customers who have fallen victim to a rogue salesman.

As reported in the BEN, a door-to-door salesman was sacked by bosses at Norweb Gas Ltd after it was revealed that he had forged signatures to secure bogus contracts.

And one of his victims was Fred Richards of Bury Road, Breightmet.

Pensioner Mr Richards said: "The man came and I told him I wasn't interested. But two weeks later I got a letter thanking me for joining them. I was shocked and contacted them.

"They sent me a copy of the contract I was supposed to have signed - I couldn't believe it when it was signed 'D Richards.'

"That was my wife's initial and she always used to organise the bills, but she died 14 years ago. It was a bit of a give-away."

Mr Richards has now been assured that the problem will be sorted out and he will return to his original gas supply contract.

Another "new customer", Doreen Hart of Breightmet Drive, also discovered she had supposedly signed an agreement. But she told the doorstep salesman she wanted more time to think when he called and never signed anything.

Mrs Hart said: "It was a real shock when we got the letter, but it does look like they're going to sort it out. And they were apologetic on the phone."

Most people who fell victim to the rogue salesman live in the Breightmet area.

But angry residents in Little Lever have also contacted the BEN. Mr William Collier said: "A man came and we said no thanks. Then we got a letter sent to a J Collier saying they'd signed up to a new gas contract.

"There's no one in our family with that initial. I think he's just plucked it out of thin air."

He added: "After we've been on the phone they've promised to sort it out but its very annoying that we've had all this hassle because of some idiot."

As reported in the BEN one customer who helped expose the forgeries, Mary Pennington, of Breightmet Road, Breightmet, has said she plans to sue claiming her fake contract constituted fraud.

Norweb Gas Ltd has pledged to check the details of all supposed customers of the sacked agent to check if they are genuine or fake.

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