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Original poster

Unwelcome caller

33 replies

angstinabaggyjumper · 19/12/2019 13:52

Just been talking to a friend who is in her eighties and lives alone. She told me that last week she opened the front door to what she thought was the postman and instead it was a man selling cleaning products who walked straight in and sat down in her living room.
He said he was just out of jail and she bought £30 worth of goods and paid him she then realised he now knew the location of her purse.

He asked for a glass of water and luckily she has glasses and a jug of water in the living room so he drank that and asked for a sandwich, she said no but you can have a mince pie. She had to leave the room to get the mince pie and when she came back he had moved from the sofa and was hovering over the table with her purse on it.

Anyway he left and she checked her purse nothing was missing, she is now worried that he's cloned her bank details. I assured her he couldn't do that in 30 seconds am I right?

She hasn't told anyone else what happened because she feels stupid and believes her nearest and dearest would be angry.

I suggested she got a Ring door bell or some such and she said she thought you needed a mobile to get that can anyone advise me please?

OP posts:
MulticolourTinselOnTheTree · 19/12/2019 14:10

I'd advise calling the police on 101 for a chat. They'll want to know that there are these people out there, I recall seeing local Neighbourhood Watch groups being given this kind of info to alert the people in their area.

HollowTalk · 19/12/2019 14:13

God, that is really worrying. There's no way they're meant to just walk in like that.

Finfintytint · 19/12/2019 14:20

She needs a chain on her door and a notice saying no cold callers.
They are Nottingham Knockers and are a bloody menace.

GloriousGoosebumps · 19/12/2019 14:32

Well she's correct in thinking that thieves can steal your credit card information just by standing next to you and using a scanner to copy the RFID data and then create a clone of your credit card. However, it would be far easier and safer to just stand in a queue at the supermarket / post office / bus stop and scan the person in front of you. That person would probably not even be aware you were behind them. Whereas your friend got a good look at the man. On that basis I'd not be worried but I would suggest she cancelled her bank cards and had new cards issued.

You can buy purses with built in RFID protection, which solves the problem.

A Ring door bell won't help if she doesn't have a mobile phone but she could have an ordinary video intercom system installed, such as the one's you find in blocks of flat's.

The ex prisoner selling cleaning products is a scam, do you think it's worth reporting the incident to the police? The elderly are particularly vulnerable.

wowfudge · 19/12/2019 14:34

Her cards could have been cloned in that time. She needs to report it to the police and get their advice on what steps to take. There are lots of options and many of them are not expensive.

Ribenaberriesgowoo82 · 19/12/2019 14:37

All it takes is a quick pic of front and back of card and he could go on an online shopping spree. She definitely needs new cards at the very least.

Your poor neighbour Angry.

FruityWidow · 19/12/2019 14:41

He would have only needed the picture of front and back of the card to start spending online. I'd suggest closing the cards now.

tinytoast · 19/12/2019 14:44

Tell her to get both all cards cancelled immediately.

KMoKMo · 19/12/2019 14:53

Cancel cards and speak to police on 101. They need to be aware there is a male targeting vulnerable elderly people in the area.
The poor lady she must have been terrified. Does she have a spy hole on her front door?

Original poster
angstinabaggyjumper · 19/12/2019 14:54

Oh dear. All this just worries me more. I googled Nottingham Knockers and they really are a hateful bunch. Apparently if you are on their radar you are more likely to get unwanted calls from rogue builders etc.

I am torn between warning her of all this and worrying her more. This happened last week and I'm the first and only person she's told, I'm worried for her.

OP posts:
Original poster
angstinabaggyjumper · 19/12/2019 14:57

KMoKMo

Yes she does have a spy hole and a chain she thought it was the postman because he had a back pack.

Yes she was terrified.

OP posts:
Abraid2 · 19/12/2019 14:59

The Nottingham Knockers are a pest. People still don't seem to understand that they are a scam. They don't have proper licences to sell door-to-door and they are associated with a lot of crime. My disabled father's ramp disappeared after they paid a call, disregarding the sign telling them no hawkers, etc. My mother said they used a series of whistles to communicate with the rest of the gang. Next morning, the ramp was gone and my father had great problems leaving the house.

Livebythecoast · 19/12/2019 15:21

How terrifying for her.
She really needs to up her security by keeping the chain on until she's definite it is the postman etc.
Not worrying you/her more but it could have been so much worse. Who walks in, sits down and wants drinks/sandwiches etc? He is praying on a vulnerable person. I understand you don't want to worry her more but I think you need a frank talk with her about security. Also echo pp ringing 101 to report it. He obviously had alterative motives. She bought £30 worth of products she probably didn't need as well so he's already taken advantage of her.
You're obviously a good friend which is lovely but she needs it spelt out to her the dangers of opening the door to just anyone. Bless her though. Makes me sad she was taken advantage of.

Livebythecoast · 19/12/2019 15:25

ulterior motive - sorry

Coniferhedge · 19/12/2019 15:36

The poor lady bought £30 of products which were probably worth a fraction of that cost. I know because it happened to me. Bought a duster from one of those sellers which cost me £10. Saw it on Ebay a couple of days later for £2. And I’m only 47, so it’s not just the elderly they can dupe.

KMoKMo · 19/12/2019 15:49

To use a ring doorbell in the way it is intended, ie to see who is at the door, she would need a phone or computer to view the images on.
You can get ring doorbells that operate with a normal chime so she could use it as a normal doorbell with the deterrent of callers thinking the footage is being viewed. They would not know she didn’t have the images in front of her and may assume they were being recorded. But this won’t offer her much reassurance and she wouldn’t be able to speak to callers to clarify who they are.
You can buy dummy cctv cameras from amazon for about £5. They may also be a good deterrent for her.
Encourage her to leave the chain on regardless of who is there so no one can barge into her house.

GloGirl · 19/12/2019 15:51

I really do recommend a Ring doorbell for her - anyone coming and going to her front door will be recorded.

Original poster
angstinabaggyjumper · 19/12/2019 16:02

GloriousGoosebumps

Thank you for your suggestion of a video intercom I'm going to call her later to suggest it.

OP posts:
ALongHardWinter · 19/12/2019 16:05

I'm incredulous that he just walked in and sat down! What a bloody nerve!

IdblowJonSnow · 19/12/2019 16:08

That's awful. Poor woman. I'd let the police know on her behalf if she agrees?
You're very kind to look out for her.

DGRossetti · 19/12/2019 16:09

He would have only needed the picture of front and back of the card to start spending online. I'd suggest closing the cards now.

Little tip when you get a new card is to memorise and then obliterate the last 3 numbers on the back of the card (the CV2 number). It's only ever needed for online purchases, and of no use in store.

You might need a soldering iron.

If you hand your card to someone and they say they need that number they are either up to no good, or trying to evade paying the card provider merchant services for a proper terminal.

pooboobsleeprepeat · 19/12/2019 16:11

It’s a well known scam:
www.hernehill.org.uk/news/door-door-sales-scam-or-nottingham-knockers
I would highly advise her getting some sort of ring doorbell. And speaking to 101. Does she have family you could speak to?

RuffleCrow · 19/12/2019 16:14

This sort of thing used to happen to my grandparents. Made me so angry as they were obviously kind and generous people and these door to door people took full advantage. Sad

Original poster
angstinabaggyjumper · 19/12/2019 16:19

Yes she does have family I could speak to but she doesn't want them to know. It has of course occurred to me and I am on the horns of a dilemma there but I don't want to break her confidence. I also think I might be able to convince her to tell them as she is terrible at keeping a secret.

OP posts:
safariboot · 19/12/2019 16:22

Report to the police.

From information, the criminals usually either do repeat visits to continue scamming the resident, or they burgle the house. Cloning the card seems unlikely to me, way too much risk of the criminal being caught red-handed, but maybe some are doing it.

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