Anyone who answers their door to a stranger should be careful.
Door-to-door scams have become much more prevalent since the coronavirus pandemic. People are being urged to take care when opening the door to people that they don't recognise.
The elderly are particularly at risk of being targeted by conmen and criminals. Consumer organisation Which? said there have been 300-500 reports of door-to-door scams every month for the past two years, with almost £19m stolen.
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However, there are thought to be many more victims who do not report their losses, according to police scam team Action Fraud. The scammers include rogue traders and fake charity workers.
Which? said victims of doorstep scams are far less likely to get their money back than victims of online fraud, and can suffer lasting psychological and health effects as a result. Age UK says elderly and vulnerable people are at higher risk of being targeted by scams in this way. Older victims of doorstep fraud were found to suffer a faster decline in health as a result.
How to protect yourself and others from doorstep scams
It is possible to protect yourself and the people you care about from these kinds of scams. Deterrents like CCTV cameras and 'no doorstep sellers' stickers in the window really are effective, according to Trading Standards.
- Regularly check in on elderly or vulnerable relatives. Ask if they've had anyone knocking at their door recently. Leave notes on the back of the door to remind them to not hand cash or personal details over to any strangers that call by might also be helpful.
- Adopt a blanket rule not to buy any products or services offered at the front door. A simple and concise refusal could be: 'Sorry but I don't buy from doorstep sellers. Thank you and goodbye.' This goes for anyone that calls by who isn't expected, or you haven't made an appointment for, such as water or electric meter readings or gas engineers.
- If there are any safety fears, police and Trading Standards advise to call 999. Don't be afraid of being a timewaster - this is a serious crime. It's an offence for a trader to refuse to leave your property if you've asked.
Reporting scams or attempted fraud is important for warning others, and to inform the police. You can report to Action Fraud or if you're in Scotland, you can call Policing Scotland on 101..
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