RACHEL RICKARD STRAUS: Door-to-door scammer I just didn’t see for dust

After years of writing about fraudsters, I thought I could identify them well. But when one showed up on my doorstep, I couldn’t tell if it was fake or real.

Do you think you can spot a scammer if one shows up at your house? I’ll tell you the details and see how you would have fared in my position. Let me know.

It was an afternoon just before Christmas when there was an unexpected cheerful knock on the door.

I carefully opened it to find a middle aged man dressed in a black jacket and smart jeans with a friendly smile on his face. He had a large plastic container of cleaning supplies in his hand: dusters, sponges, detergents. “Hello, ma’am,” he said cheerfully. ‘Would you like to buy something to support St Mungo’s, a homeless charity?’

He proceeded to go through his wares, explaining that he was homeless and staying at a hostel in St. Mungo. “I was given these items to sell to make some money for charity,” he said.

No doubt he could see that I was wary, so he quickly held up the cord around his neck to prove he was legitimately collecting money. He also assured me that if I paid by card I would be able to have a receipt by email.

So what have I done?

I’ll tell you, but on one condition. Do not try this at home. I’ve spoken to many scam victims who have tried to test or outsmart a scammer and it didn’t end well. Some have lost thousands of pounds.

If you think you’re being scammed, hang up, close the door, or don’t click on the email.

Then report it to Action Fraud (www.actionfraud.politie.uk or 0300 123 2040.)

Against my own advice, I decided to buy a duster for £8.99 to see how it would turn out. A curved one caught my eye – I thought it would be useful to get behind the radiators to make them more efficient.

“Good choice ma’am,” said the salesman. No doubt he read me like a book and added, “These were given to us by John Lewis. They sell for £15.99 each there.’ Once he left, I called St Mungo’s. Predictably, they said they don’t send people to sell door to door.

Then I called the fundraising regulator to see if such activity could ever be legitimate. It told me it’s allowed, but unusual. To sell door to door, charities need a license from the local authority – or from the Metropolitan Police if they are in London. They also require a separate peddler’s permit. It’s bureaucratic; few charities make a fuss about it.

Next, I spoke to Katherine Hart, chief prosecutor for door-to-door crime and fraud at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. “The problem is it’s very hard to tell if a door-to-door salesperson is legitimate or out to bully you,” she said.

Our advice is therefore not to intervene. If you want to support a good cause, do it in a different way.’

She added that if you want to support someone from a charity at your door, you’ll have to ask lots of questions, ask for ID and you can always call the charity to check.

“Don’t call the number on the back of the seller’s lanyard, though,” she warns. “That too could be made up.”

Then I looked at the receipt I received by email. At the top is the registered address of the seller. I looked it up on Google maps – it’s a block of flats in Essex.

So, was he a fraud?

Well, I ended up with a handy duster. And to be honest, right before Christmas I didn’t mind helping this man earn an income.

However, what seems wrong is that he profits from using the St Mungo’s name. People can buy from him because they think they support the good cause. The charity itself could therefore be missing.

Finally, I looked up dusters on the John Lewis website. They don’t sell the bendy one I bought.

However, you can buy them online from wholesale suppliers, for £1.79 each.