AIBU to feel uneasy after a pushy doorstep call?

I have a very stern notice on my door which leaves it in no doubt that I do not receive unsolicet callers, do religious or political chat, buy or give to collections. There are also obvious CCTV cameras and a warning notice. The idea is to deter unwanted callers. A few days ago a group of Jehova,s Witnesses walked past. One of them pointed to my house and said "Not there" so they took the hint. I doubt if they did much business as most of my neighbours are Muslim or Hindu.

If they are going door to door selling they should have a Pedlars Certificate/Licence which you can ask to see … if not they commit an offence that the police can summons them for. Most will not have the licence as won’t apply or possibly turned down due to previous convictions. Always best to let Police know so they can be checked out.

Our dog, (a big dopey golden retriever) has a very "big dog" bark, so when I answer to someone i don't know, i just crack the door a little bit so they can't see him, and make a big thing of keeping this unseen large dog back.
Thats usually enough to detract anyone from lingering 🤞

If‘a all in how they do it.

I totally lost my shit today at sometime knocking at my door.

I genuinely thought there must be an emergency / fire as the crazy loud knocking was insane and insistent and I thought there was something serious needing my attention

I opened the door to find a young man wanting to tell me about the local estate agent - was not impressed.

he got it full barrels - why was he knocking on my door as if there was a fire??? …. Pointed out that my kid was recovering from an operation (true) and we didn’t need disturbing - told him his conduct was ‘rude’

I think mine was a bit too - but I was mighty pissed off at him knocking at my door like someone was dying - just to bore me senseless with his spiel about Estate agency stuff - sheeessshhh - totally uncalled for when I’m nursing a child through hell after surgery.

a gentle knock on my door - I could have taken but knocking down my door as if a serial killer on their heels just bloody unnecessary.

We were warned by the local police that they are an organised gang selling substandard products and weren’t reformed offenders. They get dropped off in an area and have to sell their stuff which is mainly pound shop products at inflated prices.

I work with offenders, no way would we send them selling stuff door to door. Let your local community police officers know. They often put alerts on social media about scammers in the area.

Are you new to mumsnet? Don't you know you should NEVER answer the door???

OP you haven’t provided nearly enough context here!
How do you know he was a former prisoner?
What did he want?

There is no legit program where ex offenders go door to door selling shit from a big bag.

It's a racket.

Ask yourself why, in the age of the Internet, there's no (verifiable, probation service approved) website telling the story of their rehabilitation, and why the probation service are adamant that neither they nor any legitimate rehabilitation programs run these schemes.

& add 'sorry my dog desnt like strangers'

its irrelevant he's been dead many years.

They are likely to be part of a scam, they are getting an idea of

• If you keep your door locked.
• Who is around during the day.
• Do you have a noisy/scary dog.
• Do you keep cash in the house.
• Are there car keys in easy reach or bikes and tools in an open garage.
• Can you be persuaded easily.

Not my experience. It's just useful when you have cold callers and I'd rather not answer the door to them. But obviously the situation you speak off is a bigger issue with the individual themselves rather than a door camera

I had one of these come round once, it was a fairly young man, who flashed some kind of ‘military id’ at me. Basically something about how he earned the money from the products, and he got various perks back for them, i.e. he could earn a bed for the night.

Stupid me didn’t think quick enough, ended up buying some microfibre cloths off him for a vastly inflated 9.99 for three.

Honestly, I think I was just so flustered, and I was on my way back from the bin, if I’ve been at the door, I probably wouldn’t have bought anything.

In the process of putting a barn stable door on the back of the house, so I will only open the top half to people in future. And I will let my very loud dogs run free in the kitchen so they know they are there. Also getting a ring doorbell. Felt cross with myself.

An actual dangerous person had come to kill you? Oh, my!

Wasn’t there a Sunday newspaper expose of these schemes some years ago, that they were a con, that the men were just exploited, and the generally poor products were vastly overpriced.

None of this helped by the fact that they didn’t seem to train the sellers in basic manners and how to make people feel like buying your stuff. These chaps are often quite scary and abusive. I’d like to help prisoners but am not going to deal in cash with a man at my front door who is rude and threatening.

Quite a while back one of these got into the warden controlled (not 24hrs)flats where my mum lived. Loads of residents left their flat doors unlocked in the day(at the time all women) so they went into a panic to find unknown men in their lounge. Luckily one of the carers called the police but they legged it. A few people had paid stupid money for dish cloths and cctv picked up what looked like him and his mate trying to get in later in the night.

I used to be quite sympathetic to these guys and felt sorry that they were given such poor quality merchandise to sell door to
door.
Then I came across an article about the Nottingham Knockers and realised
that they were in fact criminal gangs gathering information to sell on
to other criminals or marking properties with chalking or etchings.
The last time one of them called it was in the evening.
Knowing that next door were away I discreetly watched him after he left my drive. He left the road without calling on any other neighbours, which I thought was odd.
I think he knocked because our
house has steps and a handrail dating back to a previous elderly resident.
Within a week an elderly neighbour, who also has a handrail, woke up to find intruders in her home.

I didn’t open door just the window and then found out later that it was a dangerous person actually. Not sure what were his intentions towards me but I was alone and all neighbours were out.

I don't understand why people don't like these ex-offender guys that sells things on doorsteps. They're quite common. They sell stuff. Buying is completely optional.
I had one knock one spring a coule of years ago. As it happens, I really wanted one of those long reach duster things for the cobwebs. I asked if he had one, he did. I bought it. It was maybe a couple of quid more than it would be in the shops but only what I'd have spent on busfare to the shops or on a delivery charge.

I really don't understand what's "not legit" about it. He had a thing I wanted, he stated a price. I bought it. It's good quality. I still use it now. A perfectly reasonable transaction.

Whether or not he's really an ex offender or whatever is pretty irrelevant to me and entirely on him.

I have had several of these. The first time, I was foolish and bought some dishcloths. They were very small once unfurled. Now I firmly say no. One turned on me and was verbally aggressive so I called 101 with a description.

I know you've been quoted a lot on this thread but for fucks sake please don't post dangerously wrong shit like this.
They are not legit. At all.

I would suggest OP that you tip off the Neighbourhood Watch in your area or the Community Police Officers and they will check it out.

There are, unfortunately, a lot of these type of scams about.

Yes, it can be. Those people I know who have got one have become much more paranoid about who's at their door. Such a shame