Man came to the door earlier - was I tricked or just paranoid??

[zephyrcat]

A man came to the door this evening with an electoral roll form - you know the ones they send you where you have to check the names and cross them off if they dont live there or add on people they've missed? Well I'm on it with dp and also the woman who used to live here. He asked me which one i was and got me to sign it. Is this something they do?? I used to work for a private investigation company who traced people that owed money and thats the kind of scam we'd pull to confirm the debtor was still at that address....

Hmmmm, the signing bit sounds a bit dodgy. But I could be wrong.

Phone the council tomorrow to check?

I can remember a man coming to my door shortly after dd1 was born doing exactly that, checking who lived at the address. I have a very vague memory of it happening when I lived with my mum as well. If you're in doubt you could phone the electrol office in the morning to check if they do send people out to do these checks.

this happened to me the other day (we'd forgotten to send our form back). normally i'm super paranoid, but it all seemed above board. the woman had her council id displayed quite prominently.

Maybe he was after the one who used to live there, zc?

Agree that electoral register people don't usually come round to check but if you don't owe anything you don't need to worry.

We have had this too. They send someone round if you don't send the form back.

It is fine, but if tyou are worried ring and check it out.

I always forget to send the form back and so get this every year. Same woman usually too.

You have to sign to say you are telling the truth cos if you lie and get caught you get fined 1000 pounds i think.

This is normal council procedure about two weeks or so after the deadline. We had someone come round to our home as I had forgotten to post it off and DH made him wait in the rain while he phoned up - got no answer as the offices were shut so he told him to come back the next day during office hours! He did, DH phoned and was explained to us that it was normal procedure as if people don?t respond to the initial letter and the follow up written reminder, it is the council?s duty to then follow this up with a personal visit to confirm whether or not someone is living in the house before taking legal action as it is breaking the law if you don?t fill one in. Was a bit embarrassed at making the poor man come back but he didn?t mind (at least said he didn?t - very polite!)

thanks everyone - thats put my mind at rest!! We have had a few nasty debt letters lately and have never had experience of anyone coming to do this before and we never send the forms back!! Also as an ex trace investigator I know how they trace people so am constantly paranoid!!

i used to get debt people coming here asking for the previous tenant. when i told them he didnt live here anymore they asked if i knew where he was. i said no, he was the previous tenant and nothing to do with me. so then they asked if i was his ex partner...erm no, i definately was not...he was gay. they always look at me like im lying! he he