It is a bit of a surreal experience to pass by the house, or even just the area, where you used to live. And the more time has passed, the stranger and more nostalgic it feels to revisit the place.
If that happens, nine times out of ten you’ll be thinking about whether you’d want to risk looking crazy or sounding like an absolute scammer by knocking on the door and asking its current inhabitants if they’d be all right with you coming in to reminisce about a time long gone and to tell them how you gave your younger sibling a noogy by the fireplace.
And we all know you’re not crazy. But the person whose door you’ll be knocking on (and subsequently the person who will have to listen to your sibling-bullying tactics) will also be the most skeptical of your intentions. And you can’t blame them. They’re just being careful.
Well, a woman recently found herself on the receiving end of this situation (of being asked to let someone in, not to get a noogy), and was wondering online if she’d be unreasonable to decline such an offer.
More Info: Mumsnet
It's surreal to revisit a place you used to live at, but it's completely sus if a complete stranger ends up on your doorstep sharing this feeling and wanting to come in
Image credits: ironypoisoning
Mumsnet user NoGoAway (seemingly foreshadowing her own opinions and intentions on the story you’re about to read) recently turned to the online community seeking advice.
The woman was returning home when she found a note from a stranger. The stranger claimed they used to live in the very house she is in now. Incidentally, that was also where their daughter was born, leading to a modest request—they wanted to come over and show the daughter where she used to live.
Apparently, they weren’t from the area anymore, but they were staying not too far off for a couple of days. They also disclosed when they used to live here and provided a phone number so that the current inhabitants could get in touch with them.
One woman recently kinda sorta had that experience, and was wondering if it's a scam she's not aware of and what she ought to do
Image credits: NoGoAway
Image credits: Heather Katsoulis
The OP was skeptical about this. Her initial reaction was to ignore it. But then intrusive thoughts came along that it was probably a scam. But it all seemed so genuine. But, regardless, she didn’t want them in her house.
One call attempt later, she couldn’t reach them just to tell them it’s a “no” and there was no way to leave a message. All of this got her thinking if this is a scam that she’s not aware of, or if she is overthinking it. The question eventually found its way onto Mumsnet, a forum dedicated to moms in the UK.
Image credits: NoGoAway
Image credits: Mac McCreery
And folks, for the most part, thought that this sounds genuine and not at all like a scam. Though everyone had their own opinions on whether the OP should allow strangers into her home, with some saying it’s harmless, others saying they aren’t obligated to do so, and yet others straight up noping this whole deal because you gotta be careful these days.
Most ruled that at face value, it seemed harmless. Asking someone to enter a home because they used to live there is not really a thing among scammers because it can very easily turn back on them—the current homeowner can ask questions about the home that only folks who lived there would know and put them on the spot.
Folks online thought this whole situation sounded genuine, but others were skeptical and suggested approaching it more carefully
According to Age UK, the most common doorstep scams involve rogue trading, bogus officials, fake charities, made-up consumer surveys, and hard luck stories. These scams prove to be more effective as the results are easier to achieve, whether it’s your money or identity that they’re trying to get a hold of.
But, since shady people are always trying to one-up their game, you can never be too careful about it, so caution is advised. Besides simply noping out of that situation by closing the door, you can also assume a bit more civilized approach like setting up a password with your utilities company. This way, when their specialists come in for an inspection, you could easily verify it with the secret code. Besides, companies call and set up a meeting before they come without asking you for your address, so that’s a form of verification in and of itself.
On top of that, legit charities, traders, and other officials will back off if they see a note saying no soliciting and the like. Not only because in some places it’s backed up by law, but also because they can’t risk damaging the reputation of the organization that they’re representing. So that should filter out the folks who are up to no good.
The story has managed to get a modest amount of attention online, and has been picked up by a few websites and news outlets. You can check out the story in context here.
But don’t go away just yet as we’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you think this is a scam? Do you have your own stories to share? Any tips on how to stay safe in a situation like this? Let us know in the comment section below!