Why pensioners are being targeted by this new doorstep energy scam and how to spot it instantly

The knock came just after lunch, the time of day when the house is quiet and the phone has finally stopped. On the doorstep, a man in a hi-vis jacket held a clipboard and a branded lanyard that looked official from a distance. He spoke quickly about “Government energy support”, “urgent meter checks” and “last chance to fix your tariff”.

Margaret, 78, did what many of us would do when someone sounds like they’re here to help with the bills. She opened the door wider, fetched her latest statement, and tried to follow a stream of jargon about standing charges and unit rates. Somewhere between the small talk about the weather and a pen being placed gently in her hand, she signed a form that was not a safety check at all, but a new energy contract with a completely different supplier.

The salesman left smiling. A week later, her “welcome pack” arrived. Her direct debit jumped by £60 a month.

The new twist on an old doorstep trick

Doorstep scams are not new, but the energy crisis has given them fresh language and sharper tools. Rising bills, confusing tariffs and real government schemes have created the perfect fog for fraudsters to walk in and look legitimate. They don’t talk about “switching” anymore. They talk about “protecting you from rises”, “compliance visits” or “checking you’re on the Government rate”.

The latest wave targets pensioners for a simple, brutal reason: they are more likely to be at home in the day, more likely to worry about heating costs, and often brought up to be polite to people at the door. Scammers know that if they sound like they’re from “the energy board” or “the council”, many will listen rather than slam the door.

The trick is not high-tech. It’s confidence, a logo on a lanyard, and a script designed to lean on your fear of winter bills.

These visitors are often not outright criminals in balaclavas. Some are rogue sales agents on commission, bending the truth to breaking point. Others are outright fraudsters harvesting signatures, bank details or copies of bills. Both can leave an older person locked into a costly contract or exposed to identity theft.

How the scam plays out on your doorstep

The pattern repeats with small variations, but the bones are the same. It starts with urgency and authority. The person at the door mentions “Ofgem checks”, “mandatory reviews” or “Government-backed discounts” that sound too precise to question. They often flash a badge just long enough for you to see a logo, not long enough for you to read who they actually work for.

Next comes the hook: they say you might be “overpaying by hundreds”, that “most people on this street are on the wrong tariff”, or that “you may lose access to support if we don’t update your details today”. The aim is to move you from calm to worried in under a minute.

Then they ask for proof. A bill, your meter number, your date of birth, even your bank details “to check the direct debit”. The paperwork they slide towards you is rarely labelled clearly as a contract. The small print hides a new supplier name or a long fixed term. A signature, a quick phone call on your doorstep, a “verification recording” you don’t fully follow - and the switch is done.

Most victims don’t realise they’ve changed supplier until a new bill appears. By then, cooling-off periods may have passed and unpicking the mess is harder.

Why pensioners are in the crosshairs

Older people are not naïve. They have lived through more financial shocks than most. But several quiet realities make them attractive targets when energy costs surge and official letters are dense with jargon.

Many pensioners rely on fixed incomes that don’t flex when direct debits rise. A £30 or £50 a month jump is not a mild inconvenience; it is the difference between a heated home and another jumper. That fear makes any promise of “locking in a better deal” sound tempting, even when it comes from a stranger at the door.

There is also the digital gap. When you do not live inside comparison websites and price-cap updates, the energy world looks opaque and hostile. An in-person “expert” who offers to “handle it all for you” can feel like a lifeline, especially if grown-up children live far away.

Loneliness plays a role too, and scammers know it. A chat on the doorstep that starts with “we’re just checking on residents in the area” can slip easily into trust. Someone who remembers your name, comments on your garden and “understands how hard this is at your age” is not being kind. They are building a bridge to your signature.

The pressure points they push

• Fear of winter bills and heating cuts.
• Confusion about government schemes and price caps.
• Trust in uniforms, clipboards and official-sounding language.
• Politeness and reluctance to be seen as “rude” or “difficult”.
• Worry about being left behind if “everyone else” is getting help.

Red flags you can spot in seconds

You don’t need to memorise energy law to protect yourself. A handful of simple checks will expose most doorstep energy scams before they start. Think of them as your personal “doorstep code”.

Anyone who is genuine will accept these rules. Anyone who objects is showing you exactly who they are.

• Unexpected visit about your energy account. Genuine suppliers almost always write, email or text you first. Cold calling at the door to talk tariffs is a warning sign.
• Pressure to act “today only”. Real schemes don’t vanish because you want to think or talk to family. If they say “I can’t come back” or “you’ll miss out if we don’t do this now”, close the door.
• Refusal to leave information. If they can’t or won’t leave a leaflet, business card or letter with a customer service number, they don’t want you checking.
• Asking for bank details on the doorstep. No reputable energy company needs your full card or bank details at the door to “check eligibility”.
• Vague about who they work for. Phrases like “the energy board”, “the Government”, “the council” or “your provider” without a clear company name are a red flag.

Safer rule: if you didn’t arrange the visit with your supplier yourself, you don’t discuss your energy account on the doorstep. Full stop.

Simple ways to protect yourself (and your parents)

You do not need to argue with anyone at your door. You do not owe an explanation. A calm script, repeated the same way each time, is often enough to make scammers move on to an easier target.

For yourself or an older relative, agree three small steps:

1. No decisions at the door. Never sign, agree or confirm anything in the moment. If it’s real, it will wait.
2. Verify using contact details you already trust. Close the door, find an old bill, and call the number printed there. Ask if they have sent anyone.
3. Use a door chain or speak through a window. You can check ID and listen without fully opening the house.

If you want to go further, ask your energy supplier and council to add a “no doorstep sales” note to your account if they offer it, and register with any local “no cold calling” zones. A simple sticker on the door is not a magic shield, but it gives you an easy line: “We don’t deal with cold callers; please leave.”

For families, talking is as important as tech. Ask parents or grandparents how they’d feel if someone came about their energy, and agree in advance that they’ll ring you before signing anything. A five-minute phone call beats months of sorting out a bad contract.

“Your energy account is yours. You choose who you speak to, when, and how - not the person on your step.”

What this scam reveals about the energy mess we’re in

These doorstep cons don’t grow in a vacuum. They grow in the cracks between real schemes, hurried letters and half-understood headlines about caps, credits and rebates. When official help is complex, unofficial “helpers” move in to fill the gap.

The focus on pensioners says something uncomfortable about our time. The very people who cut back on hot meals to pay the gas bill are now seen as a profitable target for fake savings. We talk a lot about “vulnerability” in policy papers, but it is at the front door, in five-minute encounters, that it bites.

Tightening the rules on cold calling, forcing clearer ID checks, and cracking down on rogue agents will help. So will simpler letters from real suppliers that say, in plain English, what is changing and what is not. But there is also a quieter task: helping older people feel entitled to say “no”, to close the door, and to trust that caution is not rudeness - it is self-defence.

Key sign	What it really means	Why it matters
“Urgent” doorstep visit	Pressure tactic, not a real emergency	Real support gives you time to think
Vague job title, strong logo	Commission seller or scammer, not your supplier	Stops you being misled by appearance
Needs bank details “to check”	Data grab for a switch or fraud	Protects both your money and identity

FAQ:

• Does my energy supplier ever send someone without warning? In rare cases (for example, meter safety), but they will usually write or text first and will not pressure you about tariffs on the doorstep. If in doubt, close the door and call the number on a previous bill.
• What if I’ve already signed something at the door? Contact the named supplier immediately and say you wish to cancel under the cooling-off period. Inform your current supplier too. If you feel misled, report it to Citizens Advice and Trading Standards.
• How can I help an elderly relative avoid this? Agree a simple rule: no signing, no bills shown, no bank details at the door. Put a “no cold callers” sign up, and ask them to ring you whenever someone comes about energy.
• Is it safe to show a bill to someone who says they’re from my supplier? No. Never share full bills or account numbers at the door. A genuine representative will understand if you prefer to call the company directly instead.
• Who do I report suspicious callers to? If you feel threatened, call 999. Otherwise, note any details you can (time, description, company name claimed) and report to Citizens Advice Consumer Service, who can pass information to Trading Standards.