Knock, Knock… Who’s There? Most Older Canadians Aren’t Taking Chances

Toronto, Canada, March 2, 2026 — Four in five Canadians aged 55+ (82%) say they’re cautious when they receive an unexpected knock at the door, and 92% use verification strategies for unexpected visitors, according to a recent HomeEquity Bank survey conducted by Ipsos.

Suspicious Doorstep Encounters Now the Norm for Canadians

Suspicious or unusual doorstep interactions are widespread: 55% of Canadians say they’ve experienced them – although this decreases to 45% for those over 55. Suspicious activity could include unsolicited sales or product offers (35%), strangers claiming to represent a charitable organization (24%), individuals posing as utility or service company employees (16%), strangers asking for help (12%), unexpected or unusual deliveries (10%), and visitors asking personal or probing questions (8%). Those aged 35-54 are more likely than younger and older groups to report unsolicited sales offers (42%), while younger Canadians aged 18-34 are more likely than older groups to report being approached by strangers asking for personal information (12%) or help (16%).

Open, Then Verify: How Canadians Protect Themselves at the Door

Canadians are taking proactive steps to verify who is at their door, and 34% of those aged 55+ say they won’t answer at all if they aren’t expecting anyone compared to only 20% young adults aged 18-34. When they do engage, 63% of Canadians use verification strategies. Almost three in five (58%) Canadians over 55 use verification strategies, rising to 69% among 18-34 year olds and 63% for 35-54 year olds. Canadians most often ask to see official identification (44%), confirm the stated reason for the visit (30%), look for an official company vehicle outside (29%), call the company using the number on their bill or website—rather than the number provided by the visitor (22%)—or check the company’s website or search online (12%). Still, 55% of Canadians over 55 do not use any security technology to help deter potential front-door scammers.

About the Study

These are the findings of an Ipsos survey conducted on behalf of HomeEquity Bank that was fielded between January 28-29, 2026. A total of n=1001 Canadians aged 18+ participated in the survey which was fielded via the Ipsos’ panel. Quotas and weighting were used to ensure the sample's composition reflects that of the Canadian population according to census parameters. This survey has a credibility interval of +/- 3.8 per cent 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had all Canadian adults 18+ been surveyed.

For more information on this Factum, please contact:

Sean Simpson
Senior Vice President, Ipsos Public Affairs
[email protected]

About Ipsos

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