Hi Robert,
I'm sorry to hear about that problem cropping up again. The same thing happened to me a few years ago. Fortunately for me, the first customer they spoke to knew me personally, and that I had
not sold the round.
However at least one customer paid them, which I was infuriated at, and they felt embarrassed about. I told them I'd do the next time for free, as it wasn't their fault they'd been conned (nor was it mine, but I felt sorry for them!)
Not only is this a scummy thing to do, it is also illegal. "Obtaining monies by deception" and tresspassing.
Anyway, I'm going to print a letter for all my customers telling them that i have no intention of selling my work and if i did i would let them know well in advance, also I'm going to mention the money collecting scam.
Best thing to do, make sure to tell them that if it happens they should call the police.
Somebody I know had a worse thing happen - the scamster called on his customers saying that the round had been taken over, was paid. When my friend came the customers were confused, and no matter how much explaining was done were suspicious still. In the end most of them said they didnt want to get involved in a "window cleaning war" and he lost them. The last I heard was that the scamster, who was not long out of prison, was doing them.
You have my sympathy mate, get those letters done as quickly as possible!
Philip