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That has totally happend to me as well. I was in a local B&N and noticed this guy checking me out. He passed by the aisle I was in a few times, the proceeded to "pretend" to be interested in the same books I was viewing. At first I thought this guy was hitting on me because he seemed a bit nervous. I was preparing my "Dude, Im not gay but thanks for being interested" speech then realized he was sizing me up for the "sell". I told him "I know youre sizing me up to sell me some product or service but Im not interested so youre just wasting your time with me". He said okay, then went on to someone else. I told the manager about the guy soliciting people and they made him leave.
This happens occasionally to me, too. The most annoying situation was when a neighbor tried getting me involved in a "financial planning" sort of thing. She invited me over for coffee, which I thought was friendly and neighborly. After about 30 minutes, she started asking me personal financial questions. I made up an excuse to leave and have given her a wide berth ever since.
When I first moved to the Pacific Northwest, I found that people were nowhere near as friendly as any place else I've lived - Cali, ATL, the Midwest for school.
That being said, I was taken aback when people would start chatting me up at the gym, at Starbucks, at a food court. The first time it happened, the guy was in my general line of work, so I agreed to meet him outside of the place to talk about the "business" we had in common. He brings his wife (he was a bean pole and she was a chunkster) and they proceeded to talk Amway. I was LIVID. I ate my sandwich and excused myself.
Since it kept happening more often, I saw that the sequence of events is ALWAYS the same. The exchange is at no-point genuine and spontaneous...and drum roll... the fourth or fifth question is "What do you do?" On a few occasions, I have gone borderline medieval on these people to the point that they've gotten up and left.
Don't get me wrong. I love talking to people in such places. Just last week, this really neat retired lady whose parents were German speaking immigrants saw that I had 2 travel books at B&N by my chair and proceeded to talk to me for at least an hour. No sales pitch! The way it should be.
So, to people who think they are being hit on, it could be, in about 1 out of 5 cases, you are being sized up as a "multi-level" candidate. Has it happened to you? What have you done about it? Have you put them in their place as they rightfully should be?
Man, I feel your pain. For a while there, I was getting hit on all the cotton-picking time. Amway people, Scientologists, Southern Baptists, Insurance salesmen, Mormons...you know, all the cults.
However, I don't like to be rude (Although there may be a couple of people in the parenting forums would would disagree with their "hug-the-kids-no-matter-what" philosophy). I politely decline a conversation. And if it was a friend of mine calling and he started talking about this stuff, I would say, "Joe, is this a friendship call or a business call?" That would always throw them off.
That has totally happend to me as well. I was in a local B&N and noticed this guy checking me out. He passed by the aisle I was in a few times, the proceeded to "pretend" to be interested in the same books I was viewing. At first I thought this guy was hitting on me because he seemed a bit nervous. I was preparing my "Dude, Im not gay but thanks for being interested" speech then realized he was sizing me up for the "sell". I told him "I know youre sizing me up to sell me some product or service but Im not interested so youre just wasting your time with me". He said okay, then went on to someone else. I told the manager about the guy soliciting people and they made him leave.
I usually get the "talent" scouts who gush about how PERFECT my kids would be for modeling and acting. I live in LA so this is an easy hook for wannabes - like an acquaintance of ours who took the bait and dumped over $1,000 into the dream of their 10 year old son who would be the next Gary Coleman (these outfits carry the ruse so far they actually have the parents set up a trust/bank account for their kids for when all the money starts rolling in - yeah right).
The skanks who do this are so vile, they will actually troll Toys R Us stores in pairs/tag teams and they actually pretend like they are shoppers so the store manager doesn't throw them out. I report them every time.
When I don't want to be bothered and hassled by people I change my posturing and body language to clearly send out that message and I have rarely been hassled by people when I do this. I am very good at sending out a "stay away" message.
However, I try to pull this on my husband and he still keeps coming back!!!
Had a friend just call me today to see if I wanted to talk about a new "business" I told her up front that I was not interested if it was MLM. She said it was telemarketing (so much better) Anyway I humored her for a bit, she got into her speach and after many minutes of uninterrupted talk I finally had to stop her and tell her I wasn't interested. She was trying to recruit me into her MLM group even after I told her I wasn't interested. Then she said that if I wasn't interested in the business side, maybe I wouldn't mind changing my cell phone, home phone, cabe tv and internet service to help support her. I said no and that I was very happy with my set up, then she started going on again...why do they not take no for an answer? I interupted her again and wished her well and hung up. I HATE when people do this!
However, I try to pull this on my husband and he still keeps coming back!!!
LOL - you shouldn't have given him the password!
Meh...MLM...they're just doing what they see as "business". Agreed it's a bit rude to lead me on under false pretenses, but no more rude than if a gal with tons of make-up, a push-up bra, 6" heels and hair coloring came on to me...
First of all, I take exception to the assertion that Baptists are a "cult". I grew up in the Baptist Church and while I'm no longer there, I find it vile to include them with MLM schemes.
I have a neighbor who has tried twice to get me into these ridiculous schemes. On one I attempted to tell her that it was illegal and had been closed down in Southern Oregon. It was that stupid "gifting" program. If I had been smart, I would have gone to a couple of meetings, gotten the names and numbers of the perpetrators and reported them to the police.
I've also been a victim of the Amway scam--that was years ago, fresh out of college and barely dry behind the ears. I'm more sophisticated about this crap now. It's been awhile since anyone has approached me. Once in Southern California I had to tell a guy off and warn him not to call me or my friends after I realized what he was up to.
These people are the lowest forms of scum.
Having said that, are any of you scum out there? Reveal yourself and tell us your side.
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Anyway I humored her for a bit, she got into her speach and after many minutes of uninterrupted talk I finally had to stop her and tell her I wasn't interested. She was trying to recruit me into her MLM group even after I told her I wasn't interested. Then she said that if I wasn't interested in the business side, maybe I wouldn't mind changing my cell phone, home phone, cabe tv and internet service to help support her. I said no and that I was very happy with my set up, then she started going on again...why do they not take no for an answer? I interupted her again and wished her well and hung up. I HATE when people do this!
