Scammers are out of control, conning millions of honest Brits out of almost £1.3billion last year alone.

Last week, even London’s mayor Lord Sadiq Khan revealed he’d fallen victim to fraud after being ‘wrongly’ convicted for failing to tax a car he never even owned.

Today’s Money Problem comes from Martin, a 54-year-old warehouse manager from Essex, whose elderly dad has been done over to the tune of £11,000 but won’t admit it.

He asked Metro consumer champion, Sarah Davidson, what to do.

The problem…

My 82-year-old father lives alone and has recently been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment.

A couple of months ago, two men knocked on his door claiming he had loose guttering which was dangerous.

They charged him £4,800 to ‘fix it’ — a job that took half a day — and then came back a fortnight later and persuaded him to pay another £6,200 to resurface the drive.

My sister says he is an adult and we should not interfere.

I think he has been targeted because he is lonely and too polite to say no.

Dad is embarrassed and gets angry when I try to talk to him. He’s refusing to contact the bank. Can I get the money back or report the traders without making him feel completely incapable?

The answer…

Uh, yes. He’s been scammed. The doorstep scam is a very common con, with perpetrators particularly targeting older homeowners who live alone and are likely to have cash savings.

First, let’s look at the more palatable possibility — that these guys are just rogue traders.

Under Consumer Contracts Regulations, doorstep sales carry strict legal protections designed precisely to shield consumers from pressure selling.

POLL
Poll

What should Martin do about his dad being scammed?

  • Report the scam to the police immediately.Check

  • Talk to his dad and try to convince him to take action.Check

  • Seek legal advice or help from consumer protection agencies.Check

  • Let it go since his dad is an adult and can make his own choices.Check

Traders visiting a home without prior appointment must provide clear written notice of cancellation rights. Where businesses fail to supply this statutory cancellation information in writing, the legal cooling off period can be extended by up to a year.

Furthermore, aggressive or misleading commercial practices violate consumer protection law.

You need to act quickly. Start by sitting down with your dad, gently acknowledging his embarrassment without judgement.

Explain that dishonest doorstep traders frequently exploit honest homeowners and that asking for help is a sign of practical wisdom, not weakness.

Help him gather all available paperwork, receipts, bank statements and any business cards, phone numbers or vehicle details left by the traders.

Contact Citizens Advice consumer service immediately, as they feed intelligence directly into local Trading Standards teams.

Trading Standards can investigate operators, halt ongoing demands and examine whether formal enforcement action is warranted under consumer protection legislation.

You should also encourage your father to speak to his bank.

Almost all banks have specialist vulnerability teams trained to support customers who have fallen victim to financial abuse or rogue trading.

In many cases, they can look into transactions made under questionable circumstances and may assist in recovering funds through chargeback mechanisms or authorised push payment protections.

Next, I think you need to put some preventative safety measures in place for your father.

Consider installing a video doorbell and arrange caller verification measures, make sure local family members are aware of who visits him, and inform friendly neighbours of the situation so they can keep an eye out for anything suspicious.

You and your sister should probably consider longer term safeguards, too.

More Metro Money Problems

I was left out of mum’s will — now my stepdad is blowing the inheritance money

I’m expected to pay for mum’s care so my nephew can live almost rent-free

My freeloading 32-year-old son won’t leave home — how do I get him out?

I earn £230,000 and want to retire at 47 — my younger girlfriend thinks that’s unfair

My husband has been paying for escorts from a secret bank account

Given his recent diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment, discussing a lasting power of attorney for property and financial affairs with his GP, solicitor and other family members is a sensible precautionary step.

Lastly, if you’re still struggling to get him to see this for what it is, I suggest you ask him, gently, to read this when it’s published.

Without wishing to scare you, if they’ve done this to him, they’ve done it to others.

And the reality is these men and their associates are almost definitely involved in organised crime. That means drugs, knives, guns, child exploitation and human trafficking.

While your dad’s dignity is important, this situation isn’t just about his money. It’s also about his safety.

There is nothing to be ashamed of. These men are criminals.

So far, your dad’s paid them in cash. There’s a real risk that they could start using him in other ways.

It’s increasingly common for organised crime gangs to force their way into vulnerable people’s homes to store or deal drugs from. Possibly worse. Please report them to the police.


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