Questionable door-to-door salesman pushing educational materials

[Anonymous]

Being polite can get you killed or worse

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It’s insane to open your door to complete strangers.
Who does that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would ask the kid (assuming it was a kid) if they needed help escaping the adults who were driving them around and forcing them to do this. I would offer them use of my telephone to call the parents they may have run away from, or to call the police if they felt like talking about their abduction.

This.

Google some articles about "mag sales crews." I've mostly heard about them selling magazines and cleaners, but I wouldn't be surprised if there are "book salesmen" involved as well. Some of these young people (usually late teens/early 20's) get into this and can't get out. It's scary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously OP? You're THAT neighbor on Nextdoor who gets very dramatic about solicitors or paranoid that someone is walking around your neighbor's yard (who turns out to be the pest control guy doing their yearly termite inspection).

OMG So true about NextDoor. Oh no, there is a fox in my yard! What were those helicopters last night? And ll those sirens the night before? Who is walking around my 'hood? I think I saw a rabid bear outside my door!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here with an update: two neighbors got a visit from this same person and called the police. His soliciting permit checked out and he was dismissed.
Not sure yet about Southwestern Advantage, but even if he is with a legit business, this certainly is a sketchy way of trying to make a buck.

Thanks for the feedback about door-to-door salesmen from the PPs.

Southwestern Advantage is Usborne, I think. This is a legit business and the way things were done for decades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it should be illegal to knock on someone's door uninvited. It's not free speech when you are on my property.

Jesus Christmas. You do not belong in society.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being polite can get you killed or worse

Exactly. Why are there so many stupid people here?

[Anonymous]

First, you do realize that this thread is 6 years old, right? OP's kids may have already graduated from high school by now.

Second, be very careful. I know that our local police mentioned that some of these solicitors are casing the nicer neighborhoods trying to find out who has children (who is more likely to be home during the early after dark hours), who has a security system, etc. Unless you can tell from their clothing that this is a vendor that you might be interested in talking to, you should not open your door. So, now my wife checks the doorbell camera before she opens the front door or talks to them through the security system speaker.

For me, if my neighborhood had a no soliciting policy and I opened the door, I would take a card and say I would review the web-site before deciding whether to purchase and then shoo them away. Then I would call the local police and report that someone was soliciting and that I had the person's card and give that information to the local PD. Let them track down the individual to determine whether they had any right to solicit in the neighborhood. I certainly wouldn't take the word of someone who was trying to hawk me wares door-to-door.

[Anonymous]

No time to read all responses but they are usually European youth brought here to sell books door to door. Many leave the program because they make no money and find it unsafe to go from door to door. It’s a bad program and should be shut down. We get help requests all the time from people in the program. Many end up being lifeguards or go to restaurants. Wish they did tutoring instead of selling materials parents can get fron amazon.

[Anonymous]

I bought a set nearly 10 years ago and still have them. I did not invite him in. We sat on the front porch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. In North Arlington. This cute college girl came by. Backpack. highlightered map in hand. Something about summer research program for educational products. I actually let her in and she gave her presentation on the books. Was interested in only 2 of the books but the deal was for the entire set only costing $120. No sale. If I had know she was selling something, I wouldn't have let her in.

So why did you let her in? We're you hoping she'd rob you at gunpoint? Or maybe you were hoping she'd just tie you up and take your kid?

She said she was doing research for college.

-1

I have had on person actually give someone my phone number under the guise of "research for college" Be smart, people - do not answer the door or the phone unless you actually know who is calling. My God.

[Anonymous]

my x-DW cheated on me with a door-to-door salesman in our bed. She got pregnant and eventually moved away with him to Gary, Indiana.

[Anonymous]

Ring doorbell,"were not available"

[Anonymous]

We very rarely open the door for people we aren’t expecting and absolutely never buy things or give information. We will take a card or flyer if they have one and that’s it.

Most of the time we don’t even open the door. It’s mostly when we’re expecting a signed package that day.

People should just refuse to answer the door and it would not be lucrative for them to do this. They only do it because they can.

[Anonymous]

Pushy and can't even speak good English ......told him children grown ....he says but ....I said but nothing go away I haven't even had my coffee yet....oh well can I come back .....sure if I want to meet my little friend he name is Roxy and she is a ,22caliber pistol......no means no go back to school dude