Doorstep scams

Criminals use a variety of doorstep tactics to trick people to get their money or gain entry to their homes. They may seem polite and friendly but that doesn’t mean you can trust them and although their offers may be tempting, they urge you to decide quickly.

Top tips to spot a doorstep scam

• A stranger comes to your door and says that they are a trader, that your home needs urgent work and they ask for immediate payment.
• A stranger comes to your door and says that they are a trader, that they are working on your neighbour’s property and need access to yours to check a leak or something similar. Once they are on your property, they will often say that they have spotted something that needs urgent attention and offer to fix it.
• A stranger comes to your door and puts pressure on you to buy something you don’t need or want or something that’s poor value for money.
• A stranger comes to your door and tries to start a conversation with you – this is often a technique used by burglars. As one person is talking to you at the front door, another is trying to gain entry from a side or rear door.
• A stranger comes to the door and says that one of your family members or friends has send them to check a fault in the house and fix it.
• A stranger comes to your door and says that they are a carer or a cleaner that you have not asked for or arranged.
• A stranger comes to your door and asks for your personal details.

Top tips to avoid a doorstep scam

• Always be suspicious of anyone turning up at the door uninvited or unexpected, regardless of their story. Remember that legitimate organisations and businesses do not ask for money upfront.
• Place a sign in a window near your front door saying that uninvited callers are not welcome.
• Never share your personal information or bank details.
• Don’t let any stranger into your home. Keep your doors locked with the chain on.
• Always ask to see callers’ ID cards and call the company or the service provider to see if they are genuine. To be safe, look up the company number yourself, rather than trust the number on their ID card.
• Set up a password with your gas and electricity providers so that you can be sure callers (such as meter readers) are genuine – only genuine callers will be aware of your password. Call your utility company to arrange this.
• If you have a relative or friend who lives close by, ask if they’d mind being on standby in case you get any suspicious callers. Before letting a stranger into your house, give your neighbour a call and ask them to pop round. If you don’t know anyone nearby, contact your local Neighbourhood Watch Scheme or Safer Neighbourhood.
• Install a smart doorbell – this allows you to speak to a caller without opening the door; some can also send a message to a relative notifying them that you have a visitor.
• If you’re suspicious of a person, ask the caller if you can take their photo on your mobile phone. Then send it to your friend, relative, or family member to check whether they have sent this person to your house. If the caller is genuine, they won’t mind.
• If a caller is persistent and refuses to leave and you feel in danger, call 999. If you are suspicious, but not in immediate danger, call 101, the police non-emergency number.
• If you do interact with a suspicious doorstep trader and manage to get any of their details (or even a photo) you can use these details to report them to either trading standards or the police.