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Door-to-Door Scams and Fake Workers: How to Spot and Stop Them

By Guardian Angel DIY · Updated October 27, 2026 · 10 min read

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Most people who knock on your door are who they say they are. A few are not. Some pose as utility workers, repair crews or officials to get inside, some pressure homeowners into signing a contract they will regret, and in a pattern known as distraction burglary, one person talks to you while another slips in. The good news is that a handful of simple rules defeat nearly all of it. This guide explains the common tactics, the warning signs, how to check someone's identity without opening the door, and what to do if you have already been taken in.

Why these tactics work

These approaches work because they use ordinary habits against you. People are polite, they trust uniforms and clipboards, and they do not want to seem rude. A visitor who arrives with a story, such as a gas leak, a water problem or a safety inspection, creates urgency, and urgency stops people from thinking. The best defense is a rule you decide on in advance, so that you do not have to decide in the moment: no one comes in unless I invited them.

Common tactics

Red flags

One of these is a reason to slow down. Two or more is a reason to close the door.

• Urgency. "You must decide today," or "the offer ends tonight."
• Fear. A story about a leak, a break-in nearby or a legal problem that needs fixing now.
• No appointment. Many real services call or send notice first. A surprise visit is not proof of a scam, but it is a reason to verify.
• Evasive answers. They cannot or will not give a company name, a phone number or a licence number.
• Pressure to come in. A real worker will understand if you ask them to wait outside.
• Cash only, or payment upfront. A large payment before any work is done is a common sign of fraud.
• A request for personal information. A visitor who asks for account numbers, a Social Security number or your alarm code.
• Unmarked vehicle or no ID. Not conclusive, but worth noticing.
• Several people at once, with one doing the talking.

How to check without opening the door

You can do almost all of this through a closed, locked door.

1. Look first. Use a peephole, a window, or a video doorbell. Do not open the door to see who it is.
2. Speak through the door. "Who are you with, and what do you need?"
3. Ask for the company and the reason, and ask them to show ID to a camera or through a window.
4. Tell them you will verify. "I will call the company to confirm. Please wait outside or come back later."
5. Call the company yourself. Find the number on a bill, a card or an official website, not on the visitor's paperwork or a number they give you.
6. If they are real, they can wait. A real utility or agency will not mind.
7. If they leave or object, take note of the vehicle and a description, and call the non-emergency line.

A peephole is a cheap, battery-free way to look without opening the door. A video doorbell adds two-way talk and a record. Both are covered in more detail in our camera guide.

What about a uniform or a badge?

A uniform or a badge is not proof. Both can be bought or faked. A real worker who is expected will not mind a verification call.

• Utility workers usually carry company ID, and often arrive in a marked vehicle. If you did not call them, ask them to wait while you check with the company.
• Police officers can show ID. If you are unsure, you can call the department's non-emergency number or 911 and ask whether an officer has been sent to your address. Keep the door closed while you do. See our guide to when to call 911 and when to use the non-emergency line.
• In an emergency, such as a fire or a medical issue, responders will usually announce themselves clearly. If you are in doubt, call to confirm.
• Delivery drivers do not need to come in. A package left at the door is the usual practice.

The distraction pattern

In this pattern, one person keeps you busy at the door, or even invites themselves in, while another enters elsewhere. The person at the door might ask for water, a bathroom, a pen, to use your phone, or help finding a lost pet.

• Keep the door closed, and the visitor outside.
• Offer help from outside. "I can call someone for you," or "I will bring a bottle to the door and set it down." Better still, call for help on their behalf.
• Lock the door behind you if you step out, and keep the back door locked as well.
• Stay aware of other people, a car idling or someone near the side gate.
• Never leave a visitor alone inside. The safest rule is not to let anyone in.

Door-to-door sales and contracts

Not every salesperson is a scammer, but the setting favors pressure. A few protections help.

• Never sign on the spot. Ask for the offer in writing, and take at least a day.
• Get more than one quote, and check licences, reviews and complaints with your state or local consumer office.
• Know your right to cancel. In the United States, a federal rule generally gives you three business days to cancel many purchases of $25 or more made at your home. Rules and exceptions vary, and states may add protections, so check the Federal Trade Commission and your state attorney general.
• Do not pay a large deposit, and be wary of cash-only demands.
• Watch for security-system sales. A claim that you must replace an existing system, or that a visit is from your current provider, should be checked with the provider.
• Read everything. Check the price, the term, the cancellation terms and any monitoring fees. Our guide to alarms with no monthly fee shows what a fair option can look like.

If you have already been taken in

1. If you feel unsafe, leave or call 911.
2. If someone was inside, check what is missing, and do not touch anything that could be evidence. Call police and file a report.
3. If you signed a contract, look for the cancellation notice, and cancel in writing within the allowed time. Keep copies.
4. If you paid, contact your bank or card company right away to ask about reversing the charge.
5. If you gave out personal information, change passwords, watch your accounts and consider a credit freeze or a fraud alert. Look at the guidance on the FTC's identity theft site.
6. Report it to your local police, your state attorney general or consumer protection office, and the FTC. Reports help others.
7. Tell your neighbors, especially older ones, who are often targeted.

Help your family prepare

• Agree on a rule: no one opens the door to a stranger without a check.
• Give a script. "I cannot talk right now. Please leave a card."
• Include children. They should not open the door, and they should know how to say that a parent cannot come.
• Talk to older relatives, who are often targeted. Make sure they have a number to call if someone makes them feel unsure.
• Practice once. A short role play makes it easier to say no.

Our guide to doorstep visitors and solicitors has more scripts for everyday visits.

What it costs: a simple plan

Common mistakes to avoid

• Letting someone in because of a story. Verify first, and keep the door closed.
• Calling a number the visitor gives you. Use one you find yourself.
• Trusting a uniform or a badge alone. Confirm with the organization.
• Signing under pressure. Take time, and compare quotes.
• Leaving a visitor alone inside. Do not let anyone in.
• Feeling rude. Real workers understand a verification call.

Frequently asked questions