| Author | Message | ||
     CJH Citizen Username: Christel Post Number: 187 Registered: 1-2006 |
A very friendly young lady just came to my door and said something along the lines of "I'm not sure if I'm at the right house, but I'm out talking to all the parents of school aged children to make sure they have all the information they need for the upcoming school year". She went on to say that this is a college internship and she's getting credit for it, so being pregnant and tired and not thinking, I said something along the lines of my daughter being too young for school but my neighbors have a kid who's starting 1st grade so maybe that's who she's looking for. She then sort of of launched into a thing about maybe I'd want to take a few minutes to sit down with her to go over the information myself, since it's really for all parents. When I got suspicious and told her I really didn't have time, she offered to spend a minute or two going over it right there on my front step and pulled out a full color brochure of what looked like educational children's books, all the while dropping references to "the school" (yet not mentioning it by name). When I told her I really didn't have time to go over this stuff and my daughter's way too young for it anyway, she began questioning me in earnest about which houses on the street had school aged kids. So yeah, clearly she's just selling books door to door, right? Now I feel so bad for selling out my neighbors, since she's not only going to go back there later but she's going to act even more familiar and mention that their kid is starting first grade (I'll warn them, but I still feel like a sucker for even telling her anything in the first place). Is it worth even mentioning this to any of the local schools so they can let parents know that anyone who comes to their door is not actually working with the school and info on required books will only come from school officials and not from people going door to door? Or will other people be more awake and aware than I was and realize right away that she's not actually earning college credit by talking to parents? | ||
| wnb Citizen Username: Wnb Post Number: 529 Registered: 8-2001 |
It takes practice, but the best policy in all cases is to firmly state "I don't do business door-to-door" after letting them state their purpose in one sentence. If a second statement is needed, "you may leave information if you have it and I'll review it, but I'm busy now, thanks." At that point the door is closing. Once you decide that you will never, ever give someone money who is coming door to door, it's much easier, you're not considering this particular person's pitch then, it's simply "I don't do things this way." My only exception is if it is a neighbor, then I'll hear them out. | ||
| fiche Citizen Username: Fiche Post Number: 242 Registered: 3-2002 |
You can also ask to see their permit and advise them you will call the police if they cannot produce it. Or just call the cops. There are very few, in any, organizations authorized to sell (not talking about charity collections) door to door in South Orange or Maplewood. | ||
| mrmaplewood Citizen Username: Mrmaplewood Post Number: 392 Registered: 5-2001 |
Dollars to donuts this is an update of the encyclopedia salesman job which hired college students during the summer. It should be over soon. | ||
| MasselMom Citizen Username: Teacher66 Post Number: 13 Registered: 3-2006 |
mrmaplewood It is college students selling them. I did get the same sales pitch in South Orange. I listened to the pitch because as hard as I tried to get out of it it did not swork. I did not by anything because as a librarian, I know that you can get the same types of books at a better price other places. I also did not sell out my friends. I suggest you do not too. She did try to get me to let her come in the house and use the bathroom which I said no to. | ||
| noracoombs Citizen Username: Noracoombs Post Number: 167 Registered: 8-2002 |
I also got a visit from the young lady in SO early last evening. I thought she was basically harmless--she seemed genuinely flustered when I told her there were no kids in the house (I guess someone on the street had pointed her in our general direction), the stuff she was selling looked legit, and she in no way led me to believe that she had anything to do with the SO/MA school system. What WAS weird, though, is that when I opened the door, she looked incredibly familiar--I could SWEAR she knocked on my door several months ago soliciting donations/memberships for some environmental group whose name I don't remember. That time, I told whoever it was that I only deal with that kind of stuff through the mail. Not sure if it was the same girl--but in any case, she was certainly polite and no more annoying than any other solicitor.... | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 6018 Registered: 1-2004  |
If this was a young woman with shoulder length hair she was by Marshall School about an hour ago. Told me she was from Washington State. | ||
| CJH Citizen Username: Christel Post Number: 190 Registered: 1-2006 |
If I hadn't been expecting someone around that time anyway I normally wouldn't even have opened the door -- I've had countless unwelcome solicitors this summer and am amazed at how often me going, "This isn't a good time, you woke my baby and now she's crying" resulted in them saying something like "Don't worry, this will only take a few minutes". This girl was definitely friendly, but I wish she hadn't mentioned "getting ready for school" and was also surprised at how eager she was for me to let her in the house. I'm glad MasselMom found the pitch hard to avoid as well, I definitely spent longer than I wanted to listening to her, and judging by the order sheet I saw on her clipboard she's had some good luck getting others to do more than just listen. | ||
| wnb Citizen Username: Wnb Post Number: 530 Registered: 8-2001 |
Or she's carrying around a sheet filled in with fake information that makes it look like all your neighbors are signing up. | ||
| Soparents Supporter Username: Soparents Post Number: 2757 Registered: 5-2005  |
We had a guy come to our door about a month ago. He said he wasn't here to sell us anything, and kept trying to stress how difficult it was to go door to door. He said that what he was doing was earning him college credits. He made a point of showing us his (dirty) better business bureau cert. He said that he was going door to door trying to get people to buy magazines and if we subscribed he would earn credits for college and wouldn't we like to feel that we helped him graduate? Again and again he kept pushing the credits and how hard it was going door to door. I looked at the prices and they were WAY above what I could buy them for. I said I wasn't interested and he said that if I bought some and I quote "Such as this one here, gourmet or food and wine" they would sent them on our behalf people who couldn't afford to buy them. I pointed out that I felt that people would rather be able to eat the food than simply read about it. He changed tactics and said that if we didn't buy, but could sign his form with our details he would also get credit, and showed me a list of my "Neighbours" who had signed. It was all scribble and scrawl. At the end with all the questions I was asking he got flustered and said that he would get 25-50% of whatever I spent. He left a very bad taste in my mouth and I think someone else around here must have called the police as a cruiser came up 5 mins later and he quickly turned up a side street, and the cruiser reversed and went after him probably for a chat. So much for not selling anything. | ||
| eliz Supporter Username: Eliz Post Number: 1709 Registered: 5-2001 |
I had the same experience as CJH - she dropped all sorts of names of my neighbors and kids and made it sound as though she was interning for the school system for college credit. I let her in to the house. She was very smooth and fast talking. I NEVER let anyone in or buy anything door to door but for some reason I let her in. As soon as she started with the book I told her no thanks and sent her on her way. She did kind of creep me out as her pupils were hugely dilated - it was weird. She was so slick I really don't believe she's a college student. | ||
| Crazy_quilter Citizen Username: Crazy_quilter Post Number: 399 Registered: 2-2005 |
she came to my door last week, but i didn't answer the door and she didn't leave anything. Then she came back on Saturday and rang the bell a long time. my dtr ran out the back door as we were about to leave to go to the dog park. She came around and said, "You are the hardest mom to get a hold of!" she then went on to say she was "in charge of all the children in the Clinton School district". I asked her to clarify who she was with, "Oh, i'm sorry, I'm with book publishing!" she kept mentioning my neighbors by name and saying they had given her my name. She was very pushy even tho i would not look at her (i was putting a leash on the dog and getting in the car). I just kept saying i wasn't interested. "but have you really heard what I have???" etc. Finally, i got rid of her. her car was parked in my driveway, blocking me in and she moved the car and parked in my neighbor's driveway and spent a good deal of time with them. | ||
| Politicalmon Citizen Username: Politicalmon Post Number: 255 Registered: 9-2005  |
was she driving an SUV or Jeep? | ||
| Crazy_quilter Citizen Username: Crazy_quilter Post Number: 401 Registered: 2-2005 |
the woman who visited me had a small car. gold or tan, i think | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 6022 Registered: 1-2004 |
Was she Chinese? Too bad I didn't see this thread before she rang the bell. | ||
| CJH Citizen Username: Christel Post Number: 194 Registered: 1-2006 |
Yes, asian descent and definitely as stalker-ish as crazy_quilter implies. Her initial "I'm not sure if I'm at the right house" tactic was accompanied by some purposeful rifling through her papers, as if she were looking to double check who she was there to see. That and the mention of getting parents ready for school was the only reason I even brought my neighbors into it -- we live in a two family house and people usually ring my bell first, and she did such a good job of acting like she was there officially that I asked her for the name of the child she was visiting about, which I'd never have done if she seemed like she was cold calling to make a sale. And when I told her I didn't know if any of the houses on my block had kids except that I was sure my immediate neighbors did not so please don't bother them, she got really uppity about a family two houses down from me. It started with "They have school aged kids, right?", to which I told her I didn't know (a blatant lie, since anyone can see that my house looks right into their yard), and then she went on and on about whether I knew if they even still lived there because she's been ringing their bell for days and getting no answer. It's funny, too, because I realized afterwards that I was trying so hard to be polite even though she's the one who was practically one foot in my door while grilling me about my neighbors and pushing me on products that were clearly not appropriate for my daughter's age group. | ||
| Crazy_quilter Citizen Username: Crazy_quilter Post Number: 402 Registered: 2-2005 |
my visitor was african-american. | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave  Post Number: 10589 Registered: 4-1997  |
Sounds like the William Williams affair from '02 /discus/messages/129/10681.html?1025193202 http://www.southorangevillage.com/cgi-bin/discus.cgi?pg=next&topic=129&page=1071 5 | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 10590 Registered: 4-1997 |
Also, BoingBoing picked up the story http://www.boingboing.net/2002/06/27/a_con_mans_worst_nig.html | ||
| Hoops Citizen Username: Hoops Post Number: 1968 Registered: 10-2004  |
whatwhat! | ||
| MasselMom Citizen Username: Teacher66 Post Number: 15 Registered: 3-2006 |
CJH I bet we had the same women. She used the same lines on me. I was too nice even though I know I should not have been. I did not give up my nieghbors though. I also blantantly lied to her. She keep questioning me about my next door neighbor( who if you look at the house you can tell there are kids). I lied and told her the kids are really small and they would not use the products. I am wondering if anyone has gotten the police involved in this because it seems to be the same 2 or three people. Did the women you had drive a grey Honda? | ||
| eliz Supporter Username: Eliz Post Number: 1714 Registered: 5-2001 |
So funny - mine used the exact lines as crazyquilter but she was caucasion - I guess they have a very definite script. | ||
| Monster© Supporter Username: Monster Post Number: 4617 Registered: 7-2002  |
did you ask her if she has a permit to go door to door? ask her to wait right there while you call the police to check on that permit.... | ||
| Politicalmon Citizen Username: Politicalmon Post Number: 258 Registered: 9-2005 |
The woman who came to our house said she represented 'NJPIRG'? | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 714 Registered: 2-2006 |
NJPIRG is an environmental group that lobbies the legislature. They do some good work, but their door-to-door solicitations is annonying and I've told them so. I tell most door-to-door salespeople that it is illegal to solicit in SO. That often has an effect. People should definitely call the police to have them checked out. It would be easy to case houses for burglaries pretending to go door-to-door selling things and asking about neighbors. I think the police like to know who is doing this kind of thing in town, especially if they don't have a permit. Alert residents are a great deterrent and help to the police. | ||
| Phenixrising Citizen Username: Phenixrising Post Number: 1872 Registered: 9-2004  |
If this was a young woman with shoulder length hair she was by Marshall School about an hour ago. Told me she was from Washington State. WOW!!! I had a guy (Asian Indian decent) came to my door 12 years ago saying he was from Washington State and he was selling children books for college credits. We were new to the neghborhood and usually I decline door-to-door sales folks. However, my kid who is a bookworm happened to hear the conversation and I ended-up buying 2 books from the sales guy. Later, in mid-September the guy returned and DELIVERED the books that my kid requested. I don't *think* they are doing this for college credits tho (wording to feel a bit of sympathy), but just another way of making money perhaps for college of whateva. Poor kids are recruited and usually its these kids who get scammed into doing these door-to-door sales shlep. Lots of times it's the companies who end up reaping the benefits and the kids… ripped-off! For All please read this sites: http://parents.berkeley.edu/advice/parents/doortodoor.html http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/tmarkg/magzn.htm This is the season you see these door-to-door sales folks. Some legit, some not! | ||
| Glock 17 Citizen Username: Glock17 Post Number: 1816 Registered: 7-2005  |
None of that nonsense here... | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 715 Registered: 2-2006 |
NJPIRG is an environmental group that lobbies the legislature. They do some good work, but their door-to-door solicitations is annonying and I've told them so. I tell most door-to-door salespeople that it is illegal to solicit in SO. That often has an effect. People should definitely call the police to have them checked out. It would be easy to case houses for burglaries pretending to go door-to-door selling things and asking about neighbors. I think the police like to know who is doing this kind of thing in town, especially if they don't have a permit. Alert residents are a great deterrent and help to the police. | ||
| phd6786 Citizen Username: Phd6786 Post Number: 48 Registered: 3-2006  |
It's the S.O. board of trustees. They did it.  Remember this next May. | ||
| CJH Citizen Username: Christel Post Number: 200 Registered: 1-2006 |
I don't know what kind of car she drove, I was too busy going "Really, my daughter's waking up --", "No, I think she's really too young --", "Two minutes of my time? I really don't --" and getting cut off at every turn. At least she was nicer and less weird than the Sierra Club guys who came around a few times this summer. They've got a typical "We have this petition, but the best way to take action is to make a donation" thing going on that annoys the heck out of me (aside from the aforementioned "Your daughter is crying? Don't worry, this will only take two minutes."). The weirdest was a guy from some political action group (we think, probably NJPIRG now that it comes up), who stood on the outside steps and rang the bell. When my significant other came to the door, the guy went "It's a great day outside! What are you doing inside!? Why don't you come on out here and talk with me?!". Definitely the oddest and least effective opening line we've seen yet. | ||
| Deidra Citizen Username: Deidralynn Post Number: 653 Registered: 6-2004  |
A blond caucasian girl that came to my house was very nice and I let her in to do her sell. I didn't buy anything but this is not a scam. This is a program with a company called Southwestern and they have a website www.southwestern.com. I usually keep people on my stoop but she was an exception. I'm definitely no sucker, but I try not to be too cynical with my approach when people come to my door. | ||
| CJH Citizen Username: Christel Post Number: 205 Registered: 1-2006 |
I didn't mean to imply that the whole thing was a scam, as in: "give me your money but your books will never arrive and you won't remember who sold them to you in the first place so then you can't follow up". I was just disconcerted that her initial approach was clearly designed to lead me to believe that she was working with the school to provide information to parents. Like I said, the first thing I said to her was "What's the name of the child you're here about?", which would never have occurred to me to ask if it seemed like she was just knocking on every door on the block. | ||
| Charlie Citizen Username: Cking27 Post Number: 24 Registered: 3-2006 |
We had the same thing in Maplewood. My wife went to the door and was very confused because she thought it was someone from the school district. Based on what my wife said, the lady was very misleading and deliberately so. She mentioned being responsible for area children and visiting them all. She also mentioned a bunch of names of neighbors, since we just moved here the names meant nothing. Even if it's not a scam, the approach is pretty shady. | ||
| MasselMom Citizen Username: Teacher66 Post Number: 18 Registered: 3-2006 |
Charlie You are right at first I thought the person was from the school district too. It was very misleading. | ||
| Camnol Citizen Username: Camnol Post Number: 473 Registered: 3-2005 |
I guess they are in Maplewood now. I just had a nice young lady at my door (sounds like the one who visited Deidra). I told her that I had already heard all about it and I really wasn't interested. She was very interested to know how and what I had heard. She said that a girl who was working in South Orange was let go, for being too pushy I gathered. |
