A PENSIONER has issued a warning to others not to buy fish from a door-to-door salesman after paying out for goods she never received.

Essex Police confirmed inquiries are ongoing into the alleged scam after several reports from people who paid out for fish they never received.

A Colchester resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Gazette her mother-in-law had been duped by the fake salesman.

She said he had pulled on to her mother-in-law’s driveway in Halstead in a black Audi on Saturday, June 18.

He stated he worked for a food company which provided fresh meat to the area.

The woman reported during his sales pitch, he stated: “You used to buy fish off of me. I haven’t got my usual van, that’s why you don’t recognise me.”

The woman described the salesman as pushy, demanding the money upfront, forcing her elderly mother-in-law into an order of £45 for fresh fish.

At the time of the sale, the elderly woman couldn’t find her purse, so the salesman returned later in the day, to collect his payment.

After he received the cash, the salesman produced an invoice and stated he would make the delivery the next day.

Upon further inspection the invoice appeared to be a crude photocopy, with no website and the address listed was actually for a derelict property in Chelmsford.

The woman said: “My mother-in-law is very upset that she’s fallen prey to this.

“It has knocked her confidence greatly. We want to make other people aware, so that they don’t fall foul of this individual, who is seemingly preying on vulnerable individuals.

“He’s been reported to the police by many people - I can’t believe he is still out there.”

Several other people have come forward in community Facebook groups detailing their interaction with the man, with Essex Police sharing a post warning others on Facebook.

In a statement, an Essex police spokesman said: “We are investigating a report made to Action Fraud of an allegation relating to an incident in Halstead.

“The allegation relates to a payment for the purchase of meat.”

No arrests have yet been made.