Beware the doorstep scammers providing cut-price dwelling enhancements

You might expect a criminal turning up at your home to steal your money to be balaclava-clad and carrying a crowbar.

But in a growing number of cases they could be wearing a hi-vis jacket and knock politely on the door rather than break in.

Doorstep scams, where fraudsters turn up at properties with a made-up story to part residents from their cash, have been a ruse for centuries.

But fraudsters are using a fresh crop of stories to trick their victims and play on their current fears — and some areas have become particular targets, Money Mail can reveal.

Doorstep scams with bogus tradesmen now make up a fifth of suspected cons reported to consumer charity Citizens Advice — the highest proportion since May 2019.

The South East is the biggest hotbed for them, with more households targeted than in any other region in England and Wales, new figures seen by Money Mail show.

As many as 17 .5 per cent of all suspected doorstep tricksters reported to Citizens Advice from April 2023 to March were from households in the South East.

Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire in particular are being targeted, according to separate data obtained by Money Mail from Action Fraud.

The next highest is the North West, where 12.5 per cent of suspected doorstep scam reports were made. 

Just 10.6 per cent were reported in London — the equivalent of 398 complaints, according to the Citizens Advice data.

Residents in the North East have been targeted the least, accounting for just 3.3 per cent — or 124 — of all suspected doorstep scam reports.

Victims are being caught out by a spate of tall tales around home improvements. For example, Katherine Hart, lead officer at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, warns that growing numbers of scammers are using the Government’s net-zero target to exploit their victims.

‘The net-zero drive means that people are aware of the need for energy efficiency,’ she says.

‘So scammers take advantage by claiming there are government grants that allow them to retrofit people’s homes at a cut price.’

Once a victim has handed over their cash, the doorstep scammers then disappear with the money — or do a poor job before clearing off.

Ms Hart adds that there have been a spate of doorstep scams in the past few years where fraudsters offered to insulate people’s homes. 

However, the work turned out to be poor and there were stories about bad insulation affecting homeowners’ chances of getting a mortgage.

‘The doorstep scammers who carried out these frauds are now targeting the same victims and claiming to be from new companies that can take the bad insulation out,’ she says. ‘We’re seeing a massive rise in this type of scam at the moment.’

Another rising trend is doorstep scammers targeting houses built in the 1970s, she adds.

‘This is because houses of this age are starting to show their age so scammers can convince residents they need work done to them. Many of the original occupiers will still be living in these properties so they are likely to be older. And a good number are in the South East.’

Trevor Hutton, a retired IT manager and a Neighbourhood Watch coordinator for his area of Tooting, South London, warns that now is a prime time for bogus tradesmen to knock on doors as gardens often need a spruce up and rain over the winter may have damaged or blocked guttering. The 76-year-old says his street often sees scammers trying their luck.

‘Recently they’ve been wearing hi-vis jackets so they look more official,’ he says.

‘They said we’re cleaning out the gutters on your neighbour’s property and we can do yours.’

Trevor posts in his street’s WhatsApp group to warn neighbours. But he says some residents have been roped in by the persuasive techniques.

‘They look for problematic homes in terms of overgrown hedges and older properties where the guttering is bending slightly,’ he says. ‘They are in and out very quick.’

Michelle Pilsworth, head of fraud and complaints at Santander, says the scammers typically claim something bad will happen if the homeowner doesn’t get the work done immediately.

She says: ‘It can be a hole in your roof or a jet wash or broken guttering or general gardening.

‘If you didn’t know you needed it done, think about why they are telling you that you do.’

The fraudsters will typically ask for payment upfront but the money often increases as time goes on or work may be poorly done. A trader may even disappear before the work begins.

Kent Trading Standards tells of an elderly resident who was convinced to hand over their entire pension in exchange for poor roofing work.

Criminals then impersonated Trading Standards officers and stole another £10,000 under the pretence of a court fee.

Ms Pilsworth suggests hotspots could pop up in places where more people are retired or working from home as doorstep scams rely on people being in.

Trading Standards Scotland says the top six scams spreading across the UK this year include fraudsters offering a special gardening deal available for one day only, or claiming they work for a telecoms company and need to check the home’s wi-fi speed.

Others say they’re from an energy company and offer a roof coating to help reduce heating bills or that they’re a passing trader who has spotted urgent repair work is needed on a roof.

Matthew Hepburn, fraud spokesman at TSB, says: ‘It’s really important to never let random, unverified door knockers into your home — don’t feel pressured by their pushy tactics and forceful language.’

John Kamoto, policy and research officer at Age UK, says older people are more susceptible to doorstep scams because they tend to stay at home more.

‘Doorstep scams cause tremendous distress to older people. We know that at least 2.8 million people over 50 dread opening their door as they fear scams.

‘It isolates them from being able to talk to people.’

Age UK recommends a stop, lock, chain and check policy when confronted with a stranger on the doorstep. If you’re not expecting anyone, lock any outer doors before answering the front door in case scammers are working together.

Put a door chain on and ask for an identity card. You can also call the company the caller claims to be working for to verify their identity independently.

John also recommends putting a ‘no cold callers’ sign on the door as the scammers may think twice about knocking.

Households can also create a password with their utility provider in case someone needs to make a visit. This means you can check they are genuine before opening the door to a stranger or letting them into your home.

If you believe scammers are outside your home and won’t go away, call the police.

If you think you have been scammed on your doorstep, report it to Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 and Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.