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Scam or Honest

Scam or Honest

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by: Safety44 Active Indicator LED Icon 5 OP 
~ 7 years ago   Apr 5, '16 8:48pm  
Finally got hit by the door to door salesman.
He was selling magazines for school credits.
Had a registration card supposedly but wouldn't let me see it up close.
I asked for additional identification but he said he didn't have any. He flashed his billfold to show me it was full of 10 and 20 dollar bills but no ID.
I told him that I couldn't buy the magazines but that I had twenty dollars I would donate.
He said taking donations was illegal but he could take an order for the magazines and I could pay by check.
He also said that they would hold the check for two weeks in case I was short in my account.
Minimum purchase was $61 and if I didn't want the magazines, I could donate them to a charity.
When he walked away, I looked in all directions but saw no vehicle anywhere.
 
How can we tell if this is for real or a scam and what do we do about it? He was polite enough but after reading other threads, I'm basically afraid to even have them around my place.
 
I hate not supporting the kids but this just doesn't look right.
 
This was a young guy about 20 and I was kneeling down in my flower bed. Somewhat at his mercy.
 
4951
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Retired_Engineer Active Indicator LED Icon 13
~ 7 years ago   Apr 5, '16 8:57pm  
In these days, it's sad to say, but assume it's a scam until proven otherwise.I'm like you, I don't mind buying stuff from the kids on my block, but I'd almost rather just donate some money.  We usually buy our share from the three kids next door. 4951
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TEXASGIRLMAMMA Active Indicator LED Icon 10
~ 7 years ago   Apr 5, '16 9:00pm  
I think 99% of door to door sales are scams.  The 1% that's not a scam are the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.  Sorry, but any 20 something-year-old selling door to door is a scammer.  4951
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Fallon Active Indicator LED Icon 18
~ 7 years ago   Apr 5, '16 9:26pm  
Removed By Request 4951
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Safety44 Active Indicator LED Icon 5 OP 
~ 7 years ago   Apr 5, '16 9:43pm  
I've been out three times tonight just to make sure everything is locked tight.
Just thinking about this makes me want to hunt them down and give them a Sunday School Class.
I hope they drop them off again tomorrow. I'll be looking for them this time 4951
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terilyntx Active Indicator LED Icon 9
~ 7 years ago   Apr 5, '16 9:52pm  
There's so much info that can be taken from a personal check. There are so many things they can do to scam with that information. 4951
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beadweaver Active Indicator LED Icon 8
~ 7 years ago   Apr 6, '16 12:18am  
Never stay down below them. When in the flower bed you should continually be looking around. One day I was in front planting tulips and I caught cop cars out of the corner of my eye. Then I saw they had a few kids. I put my bat ear up because they were across the street two doors down.
I caught enough when the neighbor came out and asked I was able to say kids tagged a fence and tossed the cans in the bayou. Told her they'd been rounding the kids up for 20 minutes. I'm just on guard but plantin my flowers.
.
Yes white van and a scam. I once interviewed for a job and it was a crew leader. Basically travel around the country hiring teens and teens that aged out of the system and sell magazines.
The pay on paper was great, company paid hotel but kids paid a portion of theirs and the bunked together. Had a curfew for the kids.
I didn't take the job but knew someone that had a similar business. Basically took at risk kids and made them dress nice and keep busy making an honest living.
Not all door to door sales are scams. I said this one because I paid 90 some bucks and never got half the magazines. 4951
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starryskies67 Active Indicator LED Icon 2
~ 7 years ago   Apr 6, '16 7:48am  
It is a scam. Sadly, I fell for it last year. When I realized it, I thought 'I'm only out $45', then my bank account got hit. Emptied it. The bank recovered my money, but after the long process of cleaning up identity theft, I ended up closing the account. Don't fall for it!! The after effects are a nightmare. 4951
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Amy Active Indicator LED Icon
~ 7 years ago   Apr 6, '16 8:16am  
It's a scam. He gets school credit for selling magazines? Nope. Something similar happened to me except the guy said he was selling for the University of Houston soccer team. He didn't expect me to start asking questions about needing to earn money when the NCAA funds sports, but I did. Then he claimed to have sold magazines to my neighbor, but used an unfamiliar name and got the street wrong. I sent him on his way. 4951
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FloydRTurbo Active Indicator LED Icon 7
~ 7 years ago   Apr 6, '16 6:58pm  
Have a look at the thread "Door to Door Salesmen". Same guys and a scam. 4951
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HoofHearted Active Indicator LED Icon 4
~ 7 years ago   Apr 6, '16 7:05pm  
Years ago, when we first moved into this house and I knew nothing about these magazine scams, I bought magazine subscriptions from a young girl who showed up at our door. She gave me the line about getting credit for her sales and being able to move up in the company or whatever... I naively bought the magazines. Gave her a check and everything and you know what? I actually got my magazines and no one stole my bank account or cased our house. I wouldn't do it again, knowing what I know now, but I guess maybe there are one or two honest ones out there. 4951
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Weathergirl5 Active Indicator LED Icon 8 Forum Moderator
~ 7 years ago   Apr 6, '16 8:36pm  
@Safety44, it is a scam!They drop these kids off, almost always in a white van, and make them go door to door all day.  Then come back at dark to pick them up.Never give them a check, or anything else with your name on it.  I think it is best to call the nonemergency number and let the police know they need to come and see wth these guys are up to.Every we do this, and they start getting stopped by the police they go away for a few months.  NEVER donate money to them either.  And don't offer them water.  Like you said it isn't safe to have them around your house.  Some scope out houses and come back later.  A couple of these guys were arrested recently.  It is a 100% scam.
 
@Fallon:
 
I had to call HPD about a month ago when this shady woman trying to sell me something came to the house. I told her I wasn't interested. Several hours later once it was dark she came back and tried to lure me out of the house regarding some "car trouble." She asked me two times to come out of my house to help her. The whole time she had her cell phone in her hand. Like hello you have a phone call someone if you really have a problem. Long story short I did not go outside and I called the cops. They came out took a report and said unfortunately the city did not renew a no soliciting ordinance. In the past they had to have a permit to solicit. Now they don't. But he did say "if you don't feed the strays they won't come around." So in other words don't buy from them and they will have no reason to come here. 4951
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Safety44 Active Indicator LED Icon 5 OP 
~ 7 years ago   Apr 6, '16 8:52pm  
They came out took a report and said unfortunately the city did not renew a no soliciting ordinance. In the past they had to have a permit to solicit. Now they don't. But he did say "if you don't feed the strays they won't come around." So in other words don't buy from them and they will have no reason to come here. [quote-end-tag-mismatch]
 
@Weathergirl5: I think the scam is a secondary reason they are roaming our neighborhoods. Their primary goal is to scope out garages, back yards, parked vehicles, occupied versus empty homes during the day versus evening, etc.
 
Houston needs to think twice about their position on "No Solicitation".
 
If these people are running scams and here under false pretense, I hope a police officer doesn't tell me he can't do anything.
Regardless of what COH says, I'm posting No Solicitation signs on my property tomorrow.
 
I not only want them to feel unwelcome. I want them to feel unwanted, uncomfortable, and basically knowing we don't want them here. They need to know not to come on our property.
4951
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Weathergirl5 Active Indicator LED Icon 8 Forum Moderator
~ 7 years ago   Apr 6, '16 9:12pm  
[quote-tag-mismatch] They came out took a report and said unfortunately the city did not renew a no soliciting ordinance. In the past they had to have a permit to solicit. Now they don't. But he did say "if you don't feed the strays they won't come around." So in other words don't buy from them and they will have no reason to come here. [quote-end-tag-mismatch]
 
@Weathergirl5: I think the scam is a secondary reason they are roaming our neighborhoods. Their primary goal is to scope out garages, back yards, parked vehicles, occupied versus empty homes during the day versus evening, etc.
 
Houston needs to think twice about their position on "No Solicitation".
 
If these people are running scams and here under false pretense, I hope a police officer doesn't tell me he can't do anything.
Regardless of what COH says, I'm posting No Solicitation signs on my property tomorrow.
 
I not only want them to feel unwelcome. I want them to feel unwanted, uncomfortable, and basically knowing we don't want them here. They need to know not to come on our property.
[quote-end-tag-mismatch]
 
@Safety44: I totally agree. I felt like going outside was a trap. Even the officer said never go outside in a situation like that. Call 911 immediately. He had stories of that happening and another person hiding in the bushes and when you open the door they ambush you. Funny thing about her car trouble is after she knew I was not an easy target and not opening the door, I watched her from my window walk right up to her car get in and drive off. Car trouble my ***.
 
4951
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soxs mom Active Indicator LED Icon 3
~ 7 years ago   Apr 6, '16 9:20pm  
And beware if they say okay if you aren't buying, but would you just sign his paper with your name and address so he gets credit for trying. They keep a clip board with those signatures and addresses to tell neighbors that you just signed up to add to their credibility.They don't get a chance with me. I don't answer the door. I tell them through my door bell speaker that I do not accept solicitations. 4951
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Safety44 Active Indicator LED Icon 5 OP 
~ 7 years ago   Apr 6, '16 9:28pm  
And beware if they say okay if you aren't buying, but would you just sign his paper with your name and address so he gets credit for trying. They keep a clip board with those signatures and addresses to tell neighbors that you just signed up to add to their credibility.They don't get a chance with me. I don't answer the door. I tell them through my door bell speaker that I do not accept solicitations.
 
@soxs mom: The guy yesterday had a list that he wanted me to sign also. He also said he lived the next block down but I know all of this people and he doesn't live there.
 
4951
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