Following on from my previous post, here I shall expand the topic of standard advice on how to maintain your personal and home safety through Doorstep Crime prevention education and my experience of doorstep harassment since moving to my current home where I live with my mother. After experiencing several garden and doorstep harassment problems and attempts to gain entry into our home, a few years ago I learnt about how to deal with it and what measures we could implement. So I already know and do a lot of the advice below although even I'm surprised that it's actually even stricter advice than I thought and I've found extra suggestions and mottos that I'll adopt. This doorstep advice is useful for anyone, but is obviously especially important for LGBTQIAPDENBY2S+ people, women, people of colour and people over 65 because they are apparently the most commonly targeted, according to Brighton and Hove Council.
Here's some pertinent quotes from excellent sources, yellow highlights are my addition for brilliant but less obvious points:
Quotes from the advice from Scottish Police, available at the link below:
"What types of doorstep criminals are there?
There are two main types:
Bogus callers try to get into your home or get personal details by pretending to be someone they’re not.
This can include council staff, charity collectors, meter readers and police officers. In reality, they are criminals trying to steal money and valuables.
We do not recommend dealing with cold-callers."
"How can I protect myself from doorstep crime?
Here are some tips to follow to protect yourself.
Be on guard if someone turns up unexpectedly
Keep front and back doors locked
Use the door viewer or nearby window when answering the door
Fit a door chain or bar – use it and keep it on when talking to callers at the door
If you’re not sure, don’t answer the door
Don’t feel embarrassed - genuine callers expect you to be careful
Only let callers in if they have an appointment - confirm they are genuine
Always ask for identification badges, but don’t rely on them
Identity cards can be faked – phone the company to verify their identity
Some companies offer a password system - ask if this can be used
If you have a password with a company make sure the caller uses it
Never let people persuade you to let them into your home – they may not be genuine.
If someone is persistent, ask them to call at another time and get a friend or family member to be with you
Never agree to pay for goods or give money to strangers who arrive at your door
Don’t keep large amounts of money in your home
Remember, it’s your home, there’s no reason why anyone should ever enter your home against your wishes
If you’re not sure, don’t answer the door."
"The police would much rather attend a false alarm than have someone fall victim to a doorstep criminal."
"If the person refuses to leave your door, or you feel threatened or scared - call 999 and ask for the police." (Although my comment here is that, mind you, this tip is not much help if they are the police. However, maybe still ring up to check if they are genuinely the police and learn what they want before acting. In my case, I might have learnt what their reason was before answering the door so I would have known that I didn't have to let them into my home at all. I didn't want to answer the door or let them inside my home, they merely pressurised us into it by the incredible fuss they were making outside, interviewing neighbours who don't even know us and booming out my mother's name and mobile number in our front garden and incessantly banging on our door, contrary to our signs which ask people not to do so and to leave. I assumed their deployment response wouldn't be so disproportionate that a large van and two armed police officers would waste so much time and resources on a non-event and a false, malicious report so ended up feeling under pressure to let in two policemen for no good reason at all (unintentionally because after being pressured into letting in one he called over a second policeman to join him who was out of sight). We're both still angry about it and won't do that again!)
"Note down their description and the description of any vehicle they’re using, including make, model, colour and registration number."
"Doorstep criminals will often target the same victim more than once. Be alert if someone has been a victim before".
Here's quotes from the advice given by Which, available at the link below:
https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/doorstep-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them-aWers5g8JA3V
"Protect yourself from doorstep scams
Be on your guard: always be suspicious of anyone turning up at the door uninvited – regardless of their story.
Put up a sign: place a sign in the window near your front door saying that uninvited callers are not welcome.
Keep your home secure: don’t let any stranger into your home. Keep your doors locked with the chain on.
Look for ID: ask to see callers’ ID cards and call the company to see if they are genuine. To be safe, look up the company number yourself rather than trust the number on their ID card. If you feel uncomfortable or have any doubts, don’t let them in. It’s your home. Tell them you’re not interested or that now is ‘not convenient’ and ask them to come back at a different time (when you can have a friend or relative with you).
Set up a utilities password: you can set up a password with your gas and electricity providers so that you can be sure callers (such as meter readers) are genuine – only genuine callers will be aware of your password. Call your utility company to arrange this. To activate the service they might need to put you on their Priority Services Register.
Consider smart security devices: smart doorbells incorporate a camera and can enable you to speak to a caller without opening the door; some can also send a message to a relative notifying them that you have a visitor. Find out more in our guide to smart security.
Take a photo: if you’re suspicious, ask the caller if you can take their photo on your mobile phone. Then send it to a close friend or relative. If the caller is genuine, they probably won’t mind.
Call the police: if a caller is really persistent and refuses to leave, you can call 999. If you are suspicious, but not in immediate danger, call 101, the police non-emergency number.
Bogus officials
The scam: an official looking person with a uniform and ID badge turns up on your doorstep. They might say they are there to read the gas meter or conduct a survey for the local council.
The reality: their ID could be fake. They want to get into your home or trick you into divulging personal information that can be used for ID fraud."
"If you buy something as a result of an unsolicited visit to your home, you have a legal right to cancel – but be warned that you might not be able to track down a scammer."
here's some brilliant advice from a pack that is well worth downloading, both for doorstep crime prevention as well as for simple, quick assertiveness training tips:
Brighton and Hove City Council
'Avoiding Doorstep Crime'
Community Pack Training
Trading Standards, Office of Fair Trading, the Police and other agencies "have been trying to educate people not to engage with doorstep con men and rogue traders".
The consequence is that victims are often "stripped of their life savings or even in debt, with little or no work carried out"....
Most victims are over 65 and are 2 ½ times more likely to be in care or die within 2 years as a result of victimisation. So they, and everyone else, need the 'skills to say no"!
Assertiveness training:
People need to "stand up for themselves" and you need to be "clearly communicating your position and resisting people who seek to impose THEIR will on you".
Non-assertiveness "gives everyone else their choice, they put everyone else first even when it is to their own detriment. They allow themselves to be manipulated".
An aggressive person "makes all the decisions" "nobody else has a choice. They manipulate others".
Assertiveness rights "includes such simple things as" you can …. "change your mind"…. "make mistakes" based on principle that you have. You also have "the right to be the final judge of yourself, this is the prime assertiveness right which allows no one to manipulate you". "Or in this case, 'I have the right to decide who I admit to my home and who I choose to do the work regardless of your attempts to manipulate me'."
"saying no effectively may even help keep you safe from harm".
Use phrases such as:
"No thank you, I do not deal with people who call at my door"
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