David Walker couldn't move as an intruder bashed his head on the ground repeatedly and screamed "Where's your wallet, I'll kill you, where's your wallet, I'll kill you".
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The alleged door-to-door scammer attacked Mr Walker, 71, moments after he opened the door of his Ainslie home about 6am on Sunday.
The violent bashing was the latest incident in a scam that has been perpetrated on Canberra's older residents for years.
It has involved dodgy operators painting house numbers on driveways, sometimes without being asked, then demanding cash for the service.
Mr Walker paid the man $70 to re-paint three house numbers on his driveway the day before.
He was aware the man was a scammer of sorts and knew he had been active in the inner north suburb for more than a year.
"He's a bit of a rip-off but my feeling was I like having a number there and to get somebody out to do it is a bit pricey anyway."
But when the man thumped on Mr Walker's door again on Sunday morning and demanded another $80 or "my boss will kill me", Mr Walker turned him away.
"I'd always assumed he was a sole operator scammer anyway. So I just said, 'I've paid you, no'.
"He just came screaming in, pushed me to the floor and bashed my head on the floor and said 'Give me your wallet, give me your wallet'.
"I just didn't respond."
The man dragged Mr Walker, who has multiple sclerosis and limited mobility, from the entry hall to his bedroom.
He yanked the drawers from a bedside table and scattered the contents on the floor before he slammed his head into the shattered pieces of an old walkman on the ground.
The man threatened to kill Mr Walker multiple times if he didn't hand over his wallet, until he spied it nearby, grabbed it and fled.
He left Mr Walker battered and bloodied on the ground, with wounds to his head, forehead and hands.
Mr Walker, who is retired, called triple-0 and was taken to hospital where he was treated for minor cuts.
Mr Walker said the attack was "a bloody nuisance" as he recovered at home on Monday – but he refused to live in fear or adopt a "bunker mentality".
He described the man as about six foot tall and solid and said his actions seemed to be "very much of desperation".
"I think my reaction was shock and surprise more than anything."
"It would be very, very easy to become paranoid but I've been here for 40 years and I haven't had any violence."
Police are investigating the incident.
They urged witnesses or inner north residents who were approached by a man who offered to paint a number on their driveway to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at act.crimestoppers.com.au.
