Random lady ringing front door - scam?

[Bluepinkgreenyellow]

Random lady rang my doorbell this morning. I was at home alone with the baby and quite heavily pregnant. Without thinking I opened the door to her. She had parked up on our driveway and looked well dressed, but no ID around her neck. It was quite early and lots of people going past on the school run.

She started asking me lots of questions about the house and then said am I the baby sitter? And there’s no room for rent or is it one house? She seemed crazy. I didn’t even ask her who she was but said I need to get back to the baby and shut the door.

Thinking back, I can’t believe how stupid I was. I’m feeling quite shaken. She could have pushed her way in, done anything really. We have a ring doorbell - I should have just spoken to her through that!! Is this a scam, or just a crazy person?

Sounds like she had the wrong address and was expecting to look at a room for rent or something.

Thanks but no it didn’t seem like that. She didn’t check the address or seem put out that I shut the door on her.

I would have asked her some questions back. "Who are you?" "Why are you here?" "Why are you asking me a million questions about my home?" "Why have you parked on my drive?"
I appreciate when you're sleep deprived and it's first thing in the morning it's not as easy to think of things though.

Yes I know! Why didn’t I ask these questions - really frustrated with myself!!

Why didn't you just ask her who she is and what she wants?

Sounds like she just had the wrong address to me.

As an MNer, I’m amazed you even opened the door.

I wouldn't worry because we all walk in and out our front doors all the time. If someone was desperate to shove us inside (unlikely) they could just as easily do it then, so don't beat yourself up for opening the door.

But make a note to ask 'Who are you? Why am I being asked this?" in future. She may have been crazy, she may have been trying to sell something, who knows.

It's quite normal to open the door to "random" people.
She could have got the wrong address, was trying to sell something or was distracting you while her companion tried your back door.
Can't see anything to suggest "scam" though.

I don't understand what has you so shaken or what you thought she would do. If she was covered in blood and holding a meat cleaver I would get it.

It's perfectly normal to open your door when someone knocks at it, you can't go through life assuming anyone who knocks is going to barge in and do you harm, that is vanishingly unlikely, talking through the Ring doorbell is for when you're out or eg in the bath and can't come to the door. Sounds as though she just got the wrong house, I'd have treated her the same as when someone rings and gets the wrong number "sorry, I think you've got the wrong house, bye"

It's entirely normal to open the door when someone rings the doorbell without thinking. You just needed to ask her what she wanted. In what way do you think she was scamming you?

Some estate agents try to get info on local properties that way. It sounds like canvassing at best, a scam or criminal intent at worst. It's good that you are more aware for future :)

You have to be so careful OP.

There was a scam going around where a young woman, usually with a clipboard would ask some questions and then 2 men would push their way in (I assume after they found out she was home alone).

Chances are she was just at the wrong address or had MH on problems but it’s definitely something to be aware of in the future.

I remember allowing 2 sales men to come into my home.
I was only 18 and I was living alone with my DD and they were really persuasive and pushy but in a nice way and were like let’s go and sit down and chat and just walked in and sat down.
Luckily they were just chancers trying to get a sale and I signed up to their charity and then cancelled it after they left.
I have kicked myself ever since because I was so incredibly stupid.

😂I

very much doubt a scam would involve parking your car in full view of a camera and asking if you were the homeowner with a room to rent.

Sounds like a mistake.

Its completely normal and sensible to answer your door to random people.

As a rule of thumb , if someone knocks on your door:
1.Open door
2.Greet the person
3.Find out why they are visiting you
4.If they ask if you’re the homeowner, tell them you don’t want to buy anything
5.Say goodbye
6.Shut door

Unfortunately you missed out steps 3,4 and 5 but no reason to be frightened of answering the door in future!

Lol yes pretty ridiculous isn’t it. Feeling a bit more calm now. Thanks everyone for your replies.

Glad you can laugh about it now.

To be fair, the woman knocking should have stuck to the “rules” The first thing to do is introduce yourself and explain what you’re there for!

There’s no point feeling anxious about it. It sounds very like she got the wrong house and you were both thrown.