"I've just come out from four years in prison . . .

[longwayoff]

Not me, the hefty young man who knocked at my door, started the above spiel, said "let me finish!" when I interrupted him and, when I said I haven't any money in the house, called me a cunt because I laughed when he said I could pay by bank transfer. AIBU to suggest these door knockers could use some training? Who are these people and where do they come from? They are always northerners and crop up about twice a year with a sob story.

The 'deaf' bloke comes round here too. I asked to examine his 'charity' Card and he fled. Nowt wrong with his legs

There’s a ‘deaf’ chap around work who tries to get you to sign a petition then attempts to get a donation.

I know a little sign (I’ve worked with a couple of signers so have picked up a few words) yet he seems not to have picked any up himself. Hmmmmmmm.

I have to give it to the North, you may be a touchy lot but you have the best sense of humour in the country.

I always open the door on the chain due to this. Once I had a lovely (Northern ) chap who said (and this is, IIRC, almost word for word) "I'm meant to be selling these dusters to everyone, but they're a bit shit to be honest. They're like two quid, do you want one?"

I bought two as I like honesty I used them to clean the cat. They were good for this purpose.

The most persistent I had was the mobile fish man. No idea if he was also a northerners but he was a nuisance to get rid of! I still can't look at frozen fish.

Years ago our elderly next-door neighbour answered the door to one of these guys (no idea where he was from). When she went out later that day her house was burgled and whilst they wouldn't have taken much with any monetary value because she didn't have it, what they did was enough to traumatise her. All the things she had left from her parents, the only family she had - gone. She became very ill shortly afterwards, she had previously been a very active and healthy woman but we barely saw her after that. She died about 6 months later.

Bastards. Always politely say 'no thank you' shut the door as quickly as possible and I always report. Yeah they may be genuine. But I'm not taking the chance.

This is the sound they'd hear if they came to my door.

I had this a couple of years ago. Also northern (I'm in the south) claimed to have come out of prison and trying to sell some tat. He was very polite and nice. I didn't buy anything but gave him £5 and wished him well.

Shit, I’ve got a couple of Northerners that come to my door on the reg. They don’t even bother bringing dusters anymore.

I’m married to one and the other is my DSS, but still... could it be a long term scam?!? Worried now.

Concerned of The South

Btw the police confirmed it as a Nottingham knowers scam and managed to arrest a few members of the gang, but not the ones higher up the chain unfortunately.

*knockers.

😂

And which one.....we’re a terrifying lot in the north. All sorts of tribes.

Aye. And the worst are the New Yorkers, who are also members of the notorious Yankee trible.

It's a scam. My "sorry I have no cash in the house, and my large dog (staring out the window) is a bit nervy" usually works.

We had a delightful lad knock, utterly charming, he'd had a very hard life but had been accepted into the army and his training was due to start in a few months time. Meanwhile he was trying to find odd jobs so he didn't have to claim benefits.

DH gave him a tenner, totally taken in.

He knocked again a year later with the same story.

I had one say to me ‘why don’t you just say you don’t want to help me your lying bitch?’ when I blearily tried to tell him we didn’t need anything.

Blearily because I had a baby less than 2 weeks old and he’d woken me up.

Baby is 27 now. Funny how these things stay in your memory but it doesn’t look like their MO has changed in recent decades.

I had this a few days ago. He was selling iron covers for £15 and other over priced cleaning shit. I've ordered a no cold callers sign for the door.

“Today 16:48 Elderflower14

They are Nottingham Knockers... Ring 101 if they come again. We are told to where i live.”

Oh my god Elderflower. Thankyou for this!

There is a man who came to our door selling cleaning products. He was in his 50s. He started with, “Have you heard of Nottinghamshire miners, luv?” I said yes. He started going on about “pit got closed in 1982” and he’s had no work since or something like that, so I said, “but that was a lifetime ago.” I didn’t mean to be rude, I was genuinely baffled about his logic. Then he started getting very belligerent and shouting insults. I shut the door and he was kicking it. I was scared because I was in my own with 3 DC.

Then, some months later, we had moved house locally and I opened the door to see him again! I just shut the door instantly and he started kicking it and calling me a bitch. DH was in though. He went out and didn’t push him, but stood very close in his face and said “get off my property.” The man stepped back and fell off the step sideways. He didn’t hit the ground but was saying he’d twisted his ankle. He was shouting about prosecuting for assault but DH hadn’t touched him. In the end he went.

I always wondered what the hell all that was about.

I have also had men who start with, “I’ve just got out of prison...” Quite a few. Once, I just said I’d have some of those disposable blue cloths and he wanted £7 for one pack, when you can buy them for about £1!

After all this, I just tend to not answered the door around 5pm is if I’m not expecting anyone. Or I answer the door pretending to be in the phone.

Thanks again everyone for shedding some light on this!

Had someone similar a few years ago. I felt very uncomfortable of his presence and said I wasn't interested in what he was selling.
A few days after, my mother in law said the same person went to their house. She said, she had a long conversation with him and he told them he had just got out of prison. It worries me how trustworthy of strangers she is.

Oh good god, not a northerner. How absolutely dreadful for you.

Normally, I wouldn't bother replying but there's something in your tone that really pissed me off. It sounds like you're looking down your nose at this man based partly on the fact that he's just out of prison and partly on the (heinous!) offence of being northern.

Often ex-offenders are enrolled in schemes by which they build their confidence and re-engage with the community by selling products, sometimes door to door. We have one here (Midlands, in case you're worried, so it's ok, this lot are Brummies...) and to them it's the first step back into society. But by all means pat yourself on the back for your smug dismissal of him. Well done you.

I was once told by one of these knockers that I was a nasty, evil bitch. I told him that was the only thing he'd got right! He left looking very puzzled.
flapjackfairy
You forget the whippets too! When we lived in the NW and I had to give southerons directions I would tell them to turn off the M6 when they hit the cobbles.

I have twice had people come to my door selling things from a suitcase - both times young men - both times really nice and polite. I never thought it was a scam.

Oh I wish one would come to my door! I'd either turn the air blue with profanities, or invite him in for a drink (hard to know which way the cat would jump - 'twould depend on how bad of humour I was in on the day).

We had them call round one time when I had tree surgeons working in my garden. They spotted the chap at the door and told him to buzz off. I was so glad, these guys are fairly beefy and had chain saws in there hands. They moved them on from my elderly neighbour as well.

Unfortunately in this area there is a link to their visits and burglary. The police always ask you to call 101 immediately if you spot them.

I've ordered a no cold callers sign for the door.

I've got one of these. Hitherto it's worked OK but over the last few weeks 2 people have knocked, and when I pointed it out, they told me they were dyslexic. Don't know what to do now.