Kent’s victims of doorstep crime are losing an average of nearly £16,000 and could be dead within two years, a new study has revealed.

It says scammers and criminals are more likely to target older people, with nearly a fifth in the 80-plus age bracket.

The loss to Kent residents sits at £15,700 per person, based on losses suffered by 80 victims in 2024.

Papers before the growth, economic development and communities cabinet committee at Kent County Council on March 6 laid bare stark facts about the type of person likely to fall prey to doorstep criminals.

The Home Office says victims are also more likely to be in care or dead within two years of being conned.

The KCC papers state: “The total financial loss from doorstep crime in the UK could be as high as £1.3 billion per year.

“This does not include the additional costs of repairing the damage caused by the criminals, or the health and social care costs of supporting the victims, on whom the impact can last many months and often years.

“Forty-two percent of Kent residents are considered likely to be targeted by doorstep criminals. The average loss per victim of doorstep crime in Kent is £15,700.

“Home Office research shows that most of the victims of doorstep crime are over 65 and are two and a half times more likely to be in care or die within two years because of the impact of this type of victimisation.”

KCC operates a Trading Standards Checked (TSC) fair trader scheme to reduce doorstep crime, protect vulnerable consumers and support legitimate businesses.

According to the Association of Chief Trading Standards’ Officers’ (ACTSO) figures based on impact surveys since 2014, doorstep crime victims will be aged 65 or over (85%), 75 plus (59%) and 80 plus (18%).

ACTSO says there is a 50/50 male / female split but 62% are living alone. More than 60% will have a physical impairment, sensory impairment (43%) or a long-standing illness such as cancer (35%).

The association found more than a third take medication more than four times a day, another 33% have experienced bereavement in the previous two years and a quarter have memory concerns.

More than a third will have suffered depression in the previous six months while 37% miss having people around.

ACTSO defines doorstep crime as “offenders cold-calling at the homes of consumers, most commonly older adults and / or vulnerable consumers, offering to carry out property repairs such as roofing, tarmac work, block paving, fascia and soffit installation and gardening work, or to sell products such as fish, furniture, mobility aids, security systems and energy saving products”.

It adds: “It often involves charging extortionate prices for the goods or services, including charging for unnecessary goods or services, deliberately damaging property in order to obtain work, leaving work unfinished, substandard and poor quality work, claiming to have done work which has not been done, claiming work is required urgently, and false statements being made about a variety of things including goods and services being required for specific reasons and membership of trade associations.”

Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott urged residents to log onto My Community Voice for help in outsmarting scammers.

He said: “It is despicable that these people prey on particularly vulnerable people and cause enormous damage to the economy and local businesses.

“I would urge people to go to my website and register for My Community Voice which gives residents the latest information and alerts about scams being committed in their area and how to prevent becoming a victim.”