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Subscribe to RSSThe young man who showed up at Brendan Cullen's house in Port Orchard, Wash., claimed to be selling magazines to raise money for his school. If he sold the most, he said, he'd win a trip.
"He sounded sincere," Cullen remembered. "When a kid comes to your door you don't expect him to be trying to scam you."
Cullen wanted to help, so he bought a number of subscriptions for $60. But the magazines never came — not a single one. He called the number on the sales receipt but could never reach anyone.
"All I want is the magazines I ordered, and I'll be happy," he told me. "I just don't like getting screwed over like that."
Cullen filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, but he realizes he'll never get the magazines or his money back.
The BBB has already received more than 1,000 complaints about magazine sales so far this year, compared with 1,300 in all of 2011.
"We are very concerned about this," said Katherine Hutt with the Council of Better Business Bureaus. "We’re seeing a big uptick in complaints about aggressive door-to-door selling."
Every summer, kids from all over the country are packed into vans and taken from community to community to sell books and magazines. While some of them are legitimate salespeople with the proper licenses and permits, many are just trying to make a quick buck at your expense. Once they leave town, you can never find them.
Jeff Bowman, chief of police in Gearhart, Ore., sees it happen in his seaside city every year.
"There is no contest," he warned. "It’s just a gimmick to get your money. Their job is to sell you something.”
Bowman said he feels sorry for the kids because they don't make very much money for their work. In some cases, the handlers use intimidation to get them to increase their sales.
It's more than magazines
Deceptive door-to-door sales tactics are used year-round to sell all sorts of products and services: home improvement projects, security systems and monitoring, miracle cleaning products and even groceries.
"Unscrupulous marketers sometimes trick consumers into paying hundreds of dollars for items they don't want or can't afford," said the BBB’s Hutt. "Oftentimes, their presentations are so slick that consumers aren't even aware that they have actually made a purchase."
Virginia’s Department of Criminal Justice Services recently warned people about door-to-door salespeople selling alarm monitoring. The department’s Lisa McGee told me these salespeople are not licensed and use a variety of “unethical sales tactics” to confuse and deceive people.
"They may tell a homeowner that their neighbors have already signed up for the service when that's not the case,” McGee said.
They may also lie about cancellation policies or make it appear that they're with the homeowner’s alarm service, when they are not.
In St. Paul, Minn., Betty Loose got snookered by a door-to-door driveway repair scam. She was working in her flower garden when a young man walked up and offered to repave her driveway for just $350. He said they could offer that "discounted” price because they'd just finished a job in the area and had leftover asphalt.
Loose said yes, but she wanted to see the paperwork first. They said they'd take care of that once the work was done. They sure did. They handed her a bill for $2,000.
The 88-year-old widow knew she was being scammed, but she tells me that with two big guys in her kitchen she felt intimidated. So she gave them a check — which they cashed immediately.
"They wiped me out, but I paid for it," she said.
Adding insult to injury, the work was substandard.
“For that amount, they should have done the entire driveway," Loose said. "Plus, it was a lousy job. A new driveway should look beautiful, and it looks horrible.”
She made repeated calls to the company, and someone did come back and made a few feeble attempts to fix the most obvious problems. But the work is still inferior and needs to be redone.
Loose filed a complaint with the BBB, but the company wouldn’t return her money. And without a signed contract, there wasn’t much else she could do.
ConsumerMan tips to protect yourself
It’s always risky to buy things from some unknown salesperson who knocks on your door. That’s why we have a rule in my house: We don’t buy anything this way, unless it’s a neighborhood kid we know. That may sound harsh, but it’s the smart thing to do.
There’s no easy way to know if that person at that doorstep is legitimate or a con artist. ID badges can be faked and receipts can list a bogus address or phone number.
The fact that someone shows up at your house without an appointment is a high-pressure sales tactic. If you have a hard time saying no to someone face-to-face, just don’t open the door. Tell them you’re not interested and ask them to go away.
Finally, never let an unknown salesperson into your house — not to use the bathroom, get a glass of water or make a phone call. It’s just not safe. If for any reason you feel in danger, call 911.
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The magazine scam is one of the oldest. People were doing this in the 1960s! So it should be no surprise. In my community, the rule is no solicitors and it is posted, and if a door-to-door solicitor shows up, we can call the sheriff. But we still get guys with trucks coming in offering to trim your tree, or whatever, and they tell you that your neighbor "Joe" said you might be interested.
Never say yes. If you didn't call them, they have no business contacting you. And never let any of these people into your house. I had a couple of "workers" doing some repairs for me, and one of them asked to use the bathroom. After they were gone, I discovered they had stolen medications. Evidently this is the new target. I no longer keep any prescription meds in my bathrooms.
One fellow in my community was outside talking to two scam artists--one asked to use the john, so he said OK. Fortunately a neighbor across the street had seen these men before, and called the sheriff. When the sheriff arrived, they found the one in house going through all the drawers.
You are absolutely right, jayell, and I learned to say "No!" from my mom when I was a teenager.
What bothers me today, though, is that decent, honest people are "too" trusting. Is it human nature to believe in others as having your own value system of good and bad? If not, something is wrong about the massive existence of dishonorable people, the greedy "world owes me a living" types. What are we doing wrong?
Parents, teachers, employers et al... get with the program. Take responsibility for decency yourselves. We are all role models. And if "friends" of your kids are off-base, check with their parents and teachers, and if they are not helpful, take action.
Research your local laws, talk with our own kids and show them those laws in writing, and let them know there will be unpleasant repercussions for violating those laws. However, do not threaten. Be reasonable. And never promise something you cannot control or provide.
Most of all, work with him or her to find something upbeat they wish for or could do... and help that kid earn it in a way he/she will be proud of doing so. Isn't that kind of "freedom" the United States intended 200 years ago?
Well, to you sorry sin-racked simpletons who think you are "entitled" to cheat your way through your existence... (and whom I doubt will be reading this lol)
Your freedom stops at the end of my nose!
I hope you lazy, selfish dubs learn the facts of life... that to expect that others should "take care" of you in Life should still mean that you will go down the tubes instead.
Where do they get those ideas? That if immorality pays, go for it? Well, my own reaction is a figurative "off with their heads." We have to go further than posted signs. We have to call law enforcement to, at the minimum, put a scare into them.
I would rather contribute to law enforcement's budget and their paychecks than be aced out of the same amount by the guy who wants to "trim my trees."
"without a signed contract there is little she can do?"
What? It is a business that can be located? Without a contract they probably can not do the work and with a simple small claims lawsuit will get all the money back - assuming she can collect.
In most states, if a contractor cannot prove a license or a signed agreement for a consumer contract they are generally unable to collect and they cannot even recover for the quantum meruit. . . .
It is about time that reporters actually learned something - I know you all went to journalism school to avoid actually having to learn anything or do any work in college, but there are consumer protection laws in most large states, even in Red states like Texas . . .
Shoot them in the @!$%#ing face!
I just say "I am asking you to leave my property, if your still here when I return with my gun, I am allowed to & I will shoot you".
But this is Texas
LOL, that just reminded me of the movie "Second Hand Lions," really great movie & family friendly, you don't need to worry about watching it with your kids. Two elderly uncles sit on their front porch with shotguns buy their sides. When travelling salesmen come down their driveway they shoot. No discussion, no "just look at what I have."
Love that movie. If you haven't seen it give it a try.
I'm sure this guy was a big fan.
nbc-2.com/story/19119389/2012/07/26/no-bond-for-cape-homicide-suspect
Comanchedriver: You missed the pint of the article. These people being scammed have already paid for a product or service when solicited by the door-to-door scammers. There is no point in reciting contract law when the people have already been pressured into paying for the unwanted stuff, and the scammers are gone, un-locatable and the money is beyond recovery.
Ms.C1960: Hostile grumpy people firing shotguns at anyone who enters their property doesn't sound like a family-friendly movie to me. I'd rather have a few swear words in the movie, and lose the homicidal porch-sitters.
@lolfattynerdswhoknew, thanks for the read, it was yet another case of the gun crazies licensed to kill. I know, I know, i know, if all you good folks give up your guns then only the criminals will have them. BIG problem is you legal guys keep on killing us unarmed citizens for no damn good reason. Your Freaks, nothing like a cold barrel to make you feel all warm and fuzzy.....Huh?
Robert, chill it's just a movie, and yes, it is a really good family movie. Try it, you might like it.
Just because some lunatic decided to shoot a salesman does not mean that all of us who own guns would do the same. Most of us are law abiding citizens that would only shoot if we were in mortal danger. Apparently you have never been in a stituation where you had to defend yourself and didn't have the means. I have and I will never allow myself to be brutalized again without being able to defend myself or my loved ones. I hope that you are never in that kind of situation.
In addition, I took a concealed carry class a few months ago and the Sheriff that led the class told us that the police had never had a citizen who held a concealed carry permit shoot a police officer, in fact, he said that they have had a few instances where a citizen with a concealed carry permit actually helped the police in some situations.
Door-to-door works if you can get to the door. In order to reach my door you must first pass the gate. To get past the gate, someone inside has to open it.
The first rule of being gated: Do not open the gate for anyone who doesn't live here.
The second rule of being gates: Do NOT open the gate for anyone who doesn't live here.
More than once I've left people at the gate until they simply go away, and I don't see that practice coming to an end any time soon.
I agree with the "gated" thing but I know from visiting my daughter's place in Vegas that "people" will wait until someone opens the gate such as the local utility, gardeners, cleaners, garbage pick-up, ect,. ect.
Once the gate is open it's a free-for-all to get in. The elderly are the biggest targets. More cameras are needed both in private homes (especially someone's elderly parents who still live at home) and throughout gated communities and elsewhere. I can tell you that in most European countries you couldn't pick your nose without a camera spotting you. They are practically everywhere.
right thats what we need this country to be more like EUROPE...do you not read what you write? So I guess its a good thing to have every little microscopic detail of your life examined by someone else and thats okay with you? Thats called CONTROL. all because you are afraid that some poor fellow who had lost his Job a year ago and has run out of unemployment is Inconviencing you for 30 god dam seconds of your life...you would like that 1%
I do not have a gate but I do have a tombstone in plain sight. It has enough room for more names. that is what i tell door to door sales people. they get real nervous and move on.
@ the laugher:
"Cameras are coming to places near you!"
Being that it is now the 21st century, and not having my head buried in the sand; and NOT having said that I think we should be LIKE Europe (I was just commenting there Tea Bagger) please don't put words in my mouth like your rabid Retardican friends have a penchant for doing to others; many, many many metropolitan cities (mayored by Republicans as well as Democrats) in this country are....YES!....going high tech and not relying on radios or the old "Police Call Boxes" attached to steel poles along the street.
If you travel from just about anyplace TO anyplace in this country, you WILL find more and more cameras whether you and your anti-government friends want them or not. Remember 9/11 ??....More cameras means better security for you, me, our country and those traveling to and from or within this country. It's just a fact of life Ace so just get used to it. But, that's of course, if you want to make yourself look like an idiot and lobby against them, so.....be my guest!
Good thing I'm not very friendly to strangers on my property. EVER. I don't even answer my door if I peak out and don't recognize the car. And I would, never, ever let a stranger into my home. No way, no how. No matter how charming they may seem to be.
No one crosses my threshold if not a friend or a family member. No matter how good something sounds, if that person isn't highly referred from someone I know they don't even need to get out of their car if I'm outside and they approach me. It is so disgusting how many, many scumbags are out there today. I swear they are EVERYWHERE.
M-356362: I do the same thing. My trust in people have gotten so bad I often find it difficult to even trust the little boy and girl scouts selling their respective popcorn and cookies.
Yes, we have had obnoxious guys selling cleaning supplies who insisted they come in, all the while leering and saying they would be willing to "make a trade" if I didn't have cash. I had an iron skillet in my hand and the door closed, but not a pleasant situation.
I have had numerous religious groups try to get in and save me, but not only am I not interested in them, who knows if they were really religious groups. They weren't very good at it if they were...lol.
We've had roving tree trimmers, roofers, and who know what else coming around. No one comes in and no one works for me unless I call them to come do it and there is a contract.
Just had a "college kid" knock on my door at 8 am Saturday, selling student study guides for kids, and it was a hard sell. He was really good at making himself seem very sincere. I turned him away quickly.
I'm frequently amazed how the door-to-door people can't seem to read the "NO SOLICITING" sign on my front door.
I was once told that sales people specifically hard sell at homes with "no soliciting" signs, because they believe that if you have a no soliciting sign, it must be because you are bad at saying "no" to sales people.
I have a Beware of Dog sign in my window that says, you better be able to run down the driveway in 6 seconds because my dog can do it in 4.5 seconds. I rarely have solicitors knock on my door. I don't even own a dog but, they don't know that!
I have a sign on my front gate that says if you get past the dog you will have to deal with me and I hate salesmen. I have a Corgy but they don't know that. She's always in the back yard. Seems to work.
If ANYONE comes to the door my Lab ALWAYS beats me to the door barking that deep large dog Lab bark - everyone is on the defensive at that point once that door opens . . . as word gets around they simply don't knock any longer. Best alarm I could ever own.
I had a lady knock on my door saying they were reaching out to the community for donations for a infants funeral. I felt bad, but I didn't give her anything because you never know if it's the truth.
The Better Business Bureau? Puhlease. They have as much credibility with me as the federal government. Please tell me what they do other than blackmail companies into paying for their services.
I had a lady come by my house last week saying they were reaching out to the community to raise money for an infant that died. I felt bad but I didn't give her anything because I don't know if what she was saying was true.
During my college years, i sold Kirby vacuums. The price ranged from 1000-1700$. Did i think the vacuum was worth it, NO. Do I think I was a scam artist, absolutely not! Remember folks, there is a fine line between scammers and legit sales. I feel bad for the guy who never recieved his magazines and others like him. But people tried to call us scammers or this or that, but it simply wasn't true. The vacuums were top of the line with a life-time warranty. Plenty of people loved them, and they have been around for over 100 years. We gave legit receipts, the products was left at your house if you purchased it, and our company called to confirm the purchase with you. On top of all that, we gave a three days buyers remorse clause that you could cancel it and we would come to pick it back up from you. So just remember there are legit door to door sales. And just because you regret your purchase a month later, doesn't mean you were "had" or that they scammed you. It means they sold you on the idea that the product was worth it and you believed them. Absolutely no different than a used car salesmen. I didn't lie, I didn't cheat, I didn't steal, I didn't do anything that was morally incorrect in my opinion. People made decisions and it benefitted my pockets. I sold about 27 machines and had 5 or 6 cancellations. I held absolutely no animoisity towards the people who cancelled. I just want people to remember there is a big difference between scammers and legit door to door sales.
Sorry for the horrific english, I am at work, doing my job as a chemist at a company that is traded on the NYSE, and don't have time to fix the mistakes.
Jason - Oh, I'm impressed - you're at work. If so, you shouldn't be using the company computer to play on the internet while you're suppose to be working making those big chemist bucks at your NYSE traded company.
Jason,
In some respects what you say is true. Many of these kids selling magazines are as much victims of the scam artists as are the people they "sell" these magazines to. They are recruited by sleazy scam companies and trained on how to scam others without, of course, being told that they are scamming people. They believe that what they are doing is legitimate. That's why they can come across as being so sincere. It should be against the law to use kids that way, and those who do so should be imprisoned for child abuse.
Jason - yes, those Kirby vacuum salesmen will give you the product that is promised and yes it is a good product (although not worth the $1000+ they want for it). The problem I have is the sales tactics. My husband fell for the "If you just let me come in a give you a demonstration, I'll make $25" bit. He is sort of a sucker for the poor kids they have out there doing the door to door bit. The problem is, once you've let them in to do a demo, the real salesman comes in to drive the hard sale and won't leave. I got home the other day and was so upset to see this Kirby salesman in our house, I told him flat out that I would not be paying $1400 for his vacuum and he was waisting his and our time. I went in my bedroom and didn't come out until he left. My husband came in to try to explain and I told him it was his problem and he needed to get rid of the guy. He stuck around for at least another half hour waiting for me to come out and trying to convince my husband that we really needed this vacuum, even though my hubby was saying that I wasn't coming out and there was no way we could afford it. They may not be scam artists, but they really try to intimidate people into buying one of their way over priced vacuums!
I have very little repsect or patience for ANY business legitimate or otherwise that relies on "gotcha capitalism" or high pressure sales to make a buck. If your product is good and I need/want it, I will come looking for you. I wouldn't go so far as to call Kirby an outright scam, but they are shady. Back when I was in college I needed a job so I answered an ad looking for someone to clean floors. Being a janitor wasn't my idea of a glamour job, but cash is cash and I needed a job. I called the number in the ad and I was delighted to be granted an interview. When I arrived I wes led to a confenrece room where a bunck of people were sitting in folding chairs as if waiting for a presentation to begin. Now at 19 years of age I certainly didn't have a lot of life experience, but something told me that all was not what I expected. Come to fiind out that what I thought was an interview for a janitor job was nothing more than a presentation about being a Kirby vacuum salesperson. Needless to say I wanted nothing to do with it.
I've had these terds show up, usually when I'm in my driveway. They try every trick and hard luck story in the book to sell their crap and if they come to my front door they ignore my "No Solicitors" sign and ring the bell anyway. If you call the police when they won't go away they try to start some civil action against you.
Time to buy a Nanny Camera.
Quite a few year back a woman came by selling encyclopedias, one of the major labels. I told her we weren't interested since I had just purchased a set two years earlier. She insisted so I told her she could stop back later when the wife was home. Thought that would get rid of her but it didn't. She actually showed up. I warned her again that we would not buy but she insisted on her presentation. After she was done and we told her we weren't interested she got mad and started calling us names. She left when I finally picked up the phone to call the law. About a week later a guy came by selling the same encyclopedia......... needless to say I wasn't as patient with him. Never saw anyone move that fast.
Have a camera handy and take it to the door if you feel you must answer it. The first action is to photograph the individual(flash off). How they react should be entertaining. Photograph the retreating car also. Of course, the outer door was locked, wasn't it. Now you have something for the police if required. Have movie mode? Get the recording running before you open the inside door.
What a douche you are. Just say not interested and close the door. That will be the end of it.
Simple. Do not open your door for anyone!
While we get these types of solicitations all the time, the most recent one really pissed me off. My blinds are open as are the windows, so when the guy walked up to my door...he could see me sitting on the couch. He looked to be mid-20s and was covered in tattoos and had the large gauged ear piercings. There's nothing wrong with that, but as soon as he said he was trying to sell magazines to get points so he could go on a trip, I knew something didn't add up. I tried repeatedly to tell him "no thanks" and I slowly backed up and started closing my door, but he started getting pushy and even got so close as to lean against the doorjamb. My son came up and started whining at the perfect time, so I was able to shut the door completely. I saw him walk away through the window and he looked upset. 5 minutes later he came back and began pounding on my door. I ignored him this time, but then he went to my front door (I have a side door and a front door which confuses a lot of people into thinking that it's 2 different apartments). I'm hoping he assumed it was a different apartment and therefore wasn't shocked when no one answered.
The name Green River Ordinance is given to a common United States city ordinance prohibiting door-to-door solicitation. Under such an ordinance, it is illegal for any business to sell their items door-to-door without express permission from the household beforehand.
Sale Rep Burke Martinez gained entrance to asking permission to post a sign advertising Devcon Security and pressuring a 74 year old woman to a contract, with DEVCON Security, PINNACLE Security and ALARM.COM,
I have had quite a few visits from the sheriffs department, to ask if a salesman could have his sample back. When I answer the door and they say I have a free set of steak knifes, or nice family bible, or whatever, that is the last work out of their mouth. I physically help myself to the free gift.
Post a NO TRESPASSING and on all doors a NO SOLICITING sign. It gives you rights dealing with any sales , and it gives the police a reason to question persons violating your posted signs.
Even with all this last month a DEVCON SECURITY flyby night salesman hit my wife with a security package. I had to jump through hoops getting rid of this over priced under rated system.
There is more than one state and Canada, that has fined this company and her alias sister companies for false advertising and high pressure sales tactics.
After 39 years my wife even calls me a @$$hole, so you know how a scumbag salesman feels after buzzing my door.
Its simple just shut the door on these creeps. If they persist call the Police. If you are harassed grab a camera and put them on film and send it to the local news station and get there face out there so everyone in the local area can see them.
They will go away one way or another. And for the a$$holes who screwed the old lady. Your day will come, mark my words.
I turned away a solicitor once for an alarm system.
I don't think it was coincidence that two weeks later, my house got broken into, do you?
I have an alarm system now. Good luck finding the door that isn't an instant-on siren.
Do NOT EVER give to or buy from people (adults or kids) who just show up at your door, no matter what - my policy and I'll stick by it forever.
I don't open my door for anyone, period. I read of at least 4-5 home invasions in Orlando per week. At best, it's some scammer or religious nut-job. At worst, you'll be robbed or dead.
A fool and their money...
We have a gate that gets shut during the evenings.
Plus, we are under orders that no "off-campus" visitors are allowed on-site after sunset.
If they show up--they do not stay long.
My secret? A Benchmade folding knife in my waistband works wonders on rooting out these cretinous swine. They see the handle...they know it might be coming out ready for use in a heartbeat if they do not hit the highway.
-RKJ
The "home" lets you carry a knife?
It's like inviting a vampire inside. Just don't do it.
The vampire and salespeople will attempt to suck the blood and money out of you.
If someone knocks then look through the peephole. If you don't know them you don't even have to talk to them. Do not open the door to a stranger no matter if you are 6 or 60.
I don't answer the door for people I don't know. I look out of the window to see who it is, if I don't know them I turn around go back to what I was doing. I am under no obligation to talk to an uninvited trespasser. If I want something I will go out and buy it or order it online.
I have recently adopted this policy. If you know you're not interested in whatever they are selling, the kindest thing to do is not answer the door. They leave in less than a minute and go on to the next potential customer. If you open the door, you're going to have to tell them you're not interested, but you'll barely get a chance because they won't stop talking. Then you get annoyed. Or, you get sucked in to the pitch. Either way, you're going to waste your time and theirs, or worse, end up buying something you don't really want.
Nothing wrong with trying to make a legitimate buck selling stuff, but no one should feel obligated to answer the door to an uninvited person. It feels rude, but it's kinder than the alternative.
As I mentioned before I use to do D2D sales, the person above makes the most valid point. If you don't want something don't answer the door. When I was doing the sales, I knocked on the door once, then I rang the door bell once. If no one answered I was on to the next house. I was never on a property for more than 1 minute without talking to someone. In D2D sales, the most important thing is talking to people. The more you talk to people the more you sell. If you aren't talking to people you aren't selling. The most beneficially thing to you and to the person is for you not to answer the door. Period. Great advice Win-Win