A Shropshire solicitor today said elderly people were being targeted by cold-callers, scaremongering them into changing their wills following a spate of incidents.

Margaret Rowe, an associate at Hatchers in Shrewsbury, said some tactics employed by unscrupulous firms could be seen as intimidatory and the advice given was often incorrect and over-charged.

She said that in one incident, a cold-caller helped an elderly customer hunt for a cheque book to pay fees up front. The pensioner was then charged £1,500 for work which should only have cost £80.

Ms Rowe said: “I have had three or four calls recently where clients have said they were approached to change their wills after being told by a cold-caller that theirs was out of date.

“Even though this is incor- rect, the tactics employed served only to terrify the customer into a knee-jerk reaction. This reaction has not only cost them a lot of money, most of the advice has proved to be worthless.”

Ms Rowe said she has phoned a number of other county solicitors which have also reported stories of client intimidation, particularly of elderly customers.

“It seems that the elderly are being targeted in this instance, mainly because the cold-callers can create fear and panic,” she said.

“If someone comes on the phone saying you will lose your house if you don’t change your will a lot of people are scared into doing something about it, regardless of whether they know who they are talking to.”

The law does not prevent anyone from drafting a will – and no qualifications or experience is required. However, if the will is found to be wrong there is no remedy.

Ms Rowe said: “People should not be tricked into needlessly updating their wills and should always seek proper advice before acting.

“Anyone who feels they have been duped or intimidated should contact both the police and Trading Standards as soon as possible.”

Maria Hawkaluk, a spokes- woman for West Mercia Po-lice, said: “Police would urge people never to let a cold cal-ler or someone they do not recognise or are not expecting, into their homes whoever they might claim to be.”