Young people who give you sad story and try to sell you a mag subscription (neighborhood)

[jealous.mermaid]

I had this lady come to my door explaining she is looking for a hand-up not a hand-down.

She asked me what my first job was, what my current job, my biggest obstacle in life -- blah blah.

She then tried to sell me a magazine subscription.

I had someone do this for me several years ago and I never got the mags.

I just wonder if these kids are working for a rip-off company or if they themselves are doing the ripping off.

Or maybe I am wrong, and my situation (a few years ago) was completely isolated.

If anyone knows what this is about, can you give some info?

thanks

[fakeguy]

Hey now that I recall this happened to me and I never got the magazines! I can't believe I forgot. I was living in the Cielo Vista area and they sold them to me but I never got them. The story I got was that he was raising money to go out of town for some team. Wow I can't believe I forgot.

[Smooth from ELP]

All you have to say is one word..." INTERNET!!!" and close the door.

[malamute]

It's an old and common scam. They take your money and that's the last you'll see of them.

[Gary Siete]

Often the companies that hire them fold and disappear before they get their commission check. Both you and the kids get ripped off.

[Caltep]

If you see a van dropping off a bunch of kids, they may not even be from this area. And if they push the hard sell, to the point of even wanting coins for payment, you know it's a scam. The common story I have heard is if I sell X amount of subscriptions, I get a trip to (somewhere). Heck, maybe thier magazine sweatshop owner will let them go home.

I tend to get the door-to-door homecleaning women knocking once in a while. We had one show up and the whole time she is looking over my wife's shoulder like she is seeing what we have.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Caltep

If you see a van dropping off a bunch of kids, they may not even be from this area. And if they push the hard sell, to the point of even wanting coins for payment, you know it's a scam. The common story I have heard is if I sell X amount of subscriptions, I get a trip to (somewhere). Heck, maybe thier magazine sweatshop owner will let them go home.

I tend to get the door-to-door homecleaning women knocking once in a while. We had one show up and the whole time she is looking over my wife's shoulder like she is seeing what we have.

Something like that happened in my neighborhood, someone was going door-to-door asking for money because he needed to visit his sick sister at Thomason and didn't have a way to get there. Anyone who gave him money got burglarized later. It seems he was checking for unlocked back doors and what they had to steal.

[Caltep]

I think if they cannot even claim to be from one of the local schools in your immediate area, then you gotta be leery. Be aware of packaging also. We had one guy, well dressed, articulate, claiming to be selling some sort of educational program. Well, he knew we had kids because our neighbors let him know we did. Now, we shouldn't divulge any infomation about our neighbors because we don't know who may be looking for them...especially in these days and times. Despite his appearance and manners, I was not keen on him knowing I had kids and sent him away. We are fortunate that we have a wall and gate before you can get to our front door. MOST people take that as you need to stop there...not enter the gate and get to the door.

[Bo]

Call your local police and report it if you see these people in your neighborhood. You'll be doing them a bigger favor than you would by buying magazines.