Scammers have been swindling north-east schools out of hundreds of pounds.
They have dressed like council staff to dupe teachers, with Aberdeenshire Council issuing a warning in the wake of three incidents.
In the first, a head teacher was approached by a man dressed like a council roads employee, who offered to mark roads at a “cheap rate”.
The “cheap rate” turned out to be a £400 bill, and the man provided details of a company whose website did not exist.
At a second school, a scammer offered to paint lines in the school’s building for £5 a metre.
Scammers were foiled in a third attempt at a further school, as the head teacher was in a meeting when work was offered.
Laurence Findlay, Aberdeenshire Council’s director of education and children’s services, said: “I would encourage any resident or business who is approached by individuals offering to undertake painting work at a reduced rate to check for identification or credentials that suggest the person you are speaking to is genuine.
“Undertake thorough research, which includes obtaining multiple quotes and seeking recommendations from friends and family.
“If an offer sounds too good to be then it usually is. I would urge anyone who is suspicious about a trades person to report it to Trading Standards and Police Scotland.
“There are plenty of useful hints, tips and information available on the scams page on the Trading Standards section of the Aberdeenshire Council website.”