Page 2 | AIBU to feel uneasy after a pushy doorstep call?

poetryandwine · 2026-04-08T12:41:38+00:00

Posting for traffic . Title from MN I am WFH today and answered the door to a former prisoner. He understandably needs a fresh start but he wasn’t very coherent and when I declined he got pushy. Can anyone help me with what this is about? Thanks in advance

Original poster

poetryandwine · 08/04/2026 15:46

MyrtlethePurpleTurtle · 08/04/2026 15:45

Doesn't sound like a great salesman

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I felt sorry for him until he got nasty.

OP posts:

MyrtlethePurpleTurtle · 08/04/2026 15:45

poetryandwine · 08/04/2026 14:05

My DH isn’t 6’4 but he has excellent presence. Unfortunately he was out. Infuriating sexism, however.

I have a European accent that British frequently imitate - badly - and the guy actually did this to my face. On my doorstep.

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Doesn't sound like a great salesman

smallglassbottle · 08/04/2026 15:23

AlwaysLookOnTheBrightSideOfLife · 08/04/2026 13:43

I think they sell homewares like dish-cloths, all legit.

They're not legit, it's a well known scam.

BillieWiper · 08/04/2026 15:21

Just politely decline and shut the door. I had one like that the other month and I did feel a little intimidated.

Even though he wasn't saying anything horrible.

He had an accent from somewhere far away and think he said he'd just left the military and been placed here? It was all quite garbled and I probably had a look of alarm on my face.

I did just apologise and said I couldn't help.

I'm sure your one won't come back and do anything bad. If it was genuine it's true it must be hard for people when they just get out of prison as they probably burned all their bridges.

DeftGoldHedgehog · 08/04/2026 15:15

It's a scam. I did buy a "chamois leather" from one of these guys once and it was total crap. Just a cheap cloth, not chamois leather at all.

Original poster

poetryandwine · 08/04/2026 15:13

Ella31 · 08/04/2026 15:02

Ring doorbell is life changing.

Today I defo see the advantages!!

OP posts:

Original poster

poetryandwine · 08/04/2026 15:12

LovesLabradors · 08/04/2026 15:02

Get them occasionally, they can be incredibly pushy.

Some of the ones here hand you a little laminated card saying they are deaf and dumb - I doubt they are - but you're left holding this card that they won't take back off you!

This is awful.

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lottiegarbanzo · 08/04/2026 15:05

The ones selling tea-towels etc? They’re scoping for vulnerable people to target further. They’re run by criminals, not by probation services.

Anyone who chooses to imagine they’re legit should try calling the particular probation service / organisation they claim has sent them. You’ll find they don’t do that.

If you buy from them you’re encouraging them to return to harass and scam your more vulnerable neighbours.

Ella31 · 08/04/2026 15:02

Ring doorbell is life changing.

LovesLabradors · 08/04/2026 15:02

Get them occasionally, they can be incredibly pushy.

Some of the ones here hand you a little laminated card saying they are deaf and dumb - I doubt they are - but you're left holding this card that they won't take back off you!

Aaaallthefood · 08/04/2026 14:57

We have an Alexa show in the living room, if the door goes and I’m not expecting anyone then I check that first and the image from the doorbell is there for me to ignore or click the microphone on to see what they want

Original poster

poetryandwine · 08/04/2026 14:53

Friendlygingercat · 08/04/2026 14:48

Sometimes if you refuse to buy anything these people can become aggressive. Your best friend is a ring type door bell so you can monitor callers and not answer at all if you dont fancy the look of them. However if you do answer just tell them politely that this is a rented house and the landlord deals with "all that" in the case of services. If they are offering goods just say "Sorry I dont buy at the door". My doorbell allows me to answer in a deep male voice and I find that unexpected callers quickly move on.

A rather interesting doorbell!

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Forthesteps · 08/04/2026 14:52

AlwaysLookOnTheBrightSideOfLife · 08/04/2026 13:43

I think they sell homewares like dish-cloths, all legit.

No. It's a well known scam run by gangs.

Friendlygingercat · 08/04/2026 14:48

Sometimes if you refuse to buy anything these people can become aggressive. Your best friend is a ring type door bell so you can monitor callers and not answer at all if you dont fancy the look of them. However if you do answer just tell them politely that this is a rented house and the landlord deals with "all that" in the case of services. If they are offering goods just say "Sorry I dont buy at the door". My doorbell allows me to answer in a deep male voice and I find that unexpected callers quickly move on.

TheBeaTgoeson1 · 08/04/2026 14:41

@pizzaHeartHow did it save your life? 😮

GeorgeMichaelsCat · 08/04/2026 14:39

Sartre · 08/04/2026 14:00

Get a ring doorbell and check who is there before answering, only answer if you recognise them (e.g courier or neighbour). I never ever answer to cold callers anymore.

I'm exactly the same

Poorlyadvised22 · 08/04/2026 14:29

I’ve bought a plaque that I’ve put outside my house saying no cold callers, charities, religious groups. As I live in a new build estate that was only built last year and I must get cold callers about 3 times a week and don’t get the message to go away

SixSevenShutUp · 08/04/2026 14:26

poetryandwine · 08/04/2026 14:05

My DH isn’t 6’4 but he has excellent presence. Unfortunately he was out. Infuriating sexism, however.

I have a European accent that British frequently imitate - badly - and the guy actually did this to my face. On my doorstep.

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How odd that you were not charmed into buying something from him! Now you see why he's not in regular work. I don't think there is a scheme like this, so he was just a chancer.

Original poster

poetryandwine · 08/04/2026 14:07

PS I also like your tip about opening a window, @pizzaHeart

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Original poster

poetryandwine · 08/04/2026 14:06

pizzaHeart · 08/04/2026 14:02

This ^ is my approach with or without prison card. If I’m not interested I just say so.
I really can’t understand your problem OP
By the way a police officer once advised me to open a window instead of door and answer through it if I was alone at home and not sure about what kind of visitor was knocking.
Im absolutely certain that this advice has saved my life once.

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It was the guy’s lack of clarity plus his persistence and ugliness (see my post above) that got to me.

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Original poster

poetryandwine · 08/04/2026 14:05

CanaryLibra · 08/04/2026 14:00

We’ve had loads of these in our area lately, a couple of them have got quite arsey and one really quite aggressive when I politely said no thanks - although he shut up and backed down the driveway quick enough when my 6ft4 DH came to the door to see what was going on.

My DH isn’t 6’4 but he has excellent presence. Unfortunately he was out. Infuriating sexism, however.

I have a European accent that British frequently imitate - badly - and the guy actually did this to my face. On my doorstep.

OP posts:

pizzaHeart · 08/04/2026 14:02

MrsDoylesTeacup · 08/04/2026 13:56

Google Nottingham Knockers, sounds like it’s that, advice is to report to 101 if you feel it’s necessary. I had similar years ago, showed me a card that said he was recently released from prison and was trying to sell cleaning stuff out of a hold-all. Told him I wasn’t interested and he left.

This ^ is my approach with or without prison card. If I’m not interested I just say so.
I really can’t understand your problem OP
By the way a police officer once advised me to open a window instead of door and answer through it if I was alone at home and not sure about what kind of visitor was knocking.
Im absolutely certain that this advice has saved my life once.

Original poster

poetryandwine · 08/04/2026 14:01

FolioQuarto · 08/04/2026 13:58

A tip I learned from a friend. Always answer the door to unexpected callers with your phone to your ear. Ask the pretend person in your phone to wait a moment, that way you can end the doorstep call very quickly. "I'm sorry, I'm on a work call."

Assuming you are confident the doorstep person won't try to grab your phone.

Or simply do not answer the door.

This is brilliant.

I dislike the idea of being afraid or unwilling to answer the door. Great compromise and one I could pull off.

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CanaryLibra · 08/04/2026 14:00

We’ve had loads of these in our area lately, a couple of them have got quite arsey and one really quite aggressive when I politely said no thanks - although he shut up and backed down the driveway quick enough when my 6ft4 DH came to the door to see what was going on.

Sartre · 08/04/2026 14:00

Get a ring doorbell and check who is there before answering, only answer if you recognise them (e.g courier or neighbour). I never ever answer to cold callers anymore.