OT - Doorbellringing Solicitors or Am I getting Cranky?

Not only don't I think you're being too cranky, but I think you probably should call the cops and ask if they are legit or just canvassing the neighborhood. Or maybe if you think calling the police is a bit too harsh, I certainly would call the area schools and ask if they know anything about them.

Call the cops next time. Call the cops now in fact and report this scam, because it is a scam.

Sorry, I sic the police on anyone soliciting these days. And I tell telemarketers that they are in violation of NH code (nonsense numbers) and their number will be reported to the state's attorney general.

Oh, and the next time someone with an obvious foreign accent tells me their name is Tom Morris or Jane Morris, I'm going to call them on it.

I repeat--great minds think alike !! lol

When we lived in England we used to get young men (around 22 or 23) who would hand you a printed leaflet saying that they were handicapped and dumb (as in unable to speak) but trying to earn a living by selling household goods - a bit like Fuller Brush or Kleenezee salesmen. But the goods were tacky and expensive. And if you saw through them and told them to **** off they miraculously regained the power of speech.

I have just had a giggle today. When my son who lives alone goes back to sea he switches his phone calls to me. In the telephone directory his number is about 3 higher up than ours.

Today the phone rang, a young lady with the sorry to bother you routine but our agents are in the area selling guttering and fascia tomorrow. Even though we own our house I just say it is rented and that shuts them up right away. Having said this and put the phone down. Two minutes later the phone rings again, same voice. So I say I have just told you the house is rented. A very apologetic young lady who must be scratching her head. Wondering how the heck did she ring two different numbers and addresses, and getting the same woman answering. It always gives me a laugh when that happens. Shirley

Well, I think that I'll send something to the HOA person, who can then send a flash e-mail to the entire community. That's at least something. Then, maybe the cops.

WRT the foreign accents -well, at the call centers in India they are trained to learn a bit of US geography, and also to pick names that sound American. I thought I posted something about the multi-media play we saw on this topic at Ken Ctr last year. In that - an autobiographical work - the "students" training to work the call center all picked names of the cast members from "Friends" . Honestly, I don't blame them, people from the credit companies, etc never use their real names - here or otherwise. Lately, I've had a couple of call center types actually tell me they were in Mumbai (formerly Bombay). The funniest - the guy who told me his name was "Jack Dawson" - and he was from Capital One, and not in India. DH thought I should have responded with the theme from Titanic.

ellice

You aren't cranky, you are right, and you should report this to the cops. There are a lot of scams, and this one sure sounds like one. Apart from this, she was trespassing anyway.

It's become a nuisance here in Aussieland, though I have to say, since the government cracked down on these false door knockers, it's gotten a bit better. We once had a you pimpled man knocking at the door last year. There was a knock, I looked through the window, couldn't see anyone, and opened. There he was, coughing his lungs out, asking if I have some cough medicine. I said now (which was the truth, but apart from this I wouldn't have given it to him anyway, I had some strange feeling), then, if he could come in! to get a glass of water. I said no again, and then he suddenly he said, well actually it is in regards so an Austar subscription (Pay TV). I told him to leave, he moved forward, literally trying to set a foot in the door. I said leave immediately, you are trespassing, and slammed the door. He remained at the door step, my husband came and told him in no unmistaken terms, that we call the police right now, if he doesn't move on straight away. He left reluctantly, but we saw him lingering along the street for a while. I reckon he was part of a robbery gang.

I usually don't open to doorknockers at all anymore, am sick and tired of them (like with the Indian call centres...)

Cheers Sibille

We have seen this too. As I said, I hang up on them, being sick and tired of this nuisance and there ugly persistence. But not before I say what a funny English name he has as an Indian calling from Bangalore. When someone already greets me: Can I talk to Mrs.......bla bal, stuttering around with my name, I get all geared up for getting cranky.

If companies in Australia want our money (am not buying over the phone anyway), they should provide local employment instead of paying these nasty guys.

Now we have a silent number. Hopefully it works.

Cheers

You are much nicer than I am! Unless it's a neighbor's child selling Girl Scout Cookies, I don't open the door. I have a 60# dog who sounds like Cujo, and that generally gets strangers off the porch right away as soon as I call out "the dog doesn't like strangers". (Then I give her a pat, and tell her what a good girl she is.) My dog knows and likes my neighbors, but barks her fool head off at strangers, and that is fine with me.

If it is a neighborhood child selling something for school, and am polite to the child while saying no thanks, and then I call the administrative office of the local school district with my standard rant -- how dare they send children out to raise money for the school district? It is dangerous to the children because of traffic, animals, and predators/criminals, etc. Further, if the schools need money, the board needs to readjust the budget and then get the guts to go to the voters for a referendum. Using children is unacceptable on many levels. Several friends do the same thing, and we may all be on a special list of callers they don't want to hear from . . .

Adult solicitors who I do not know never get in the house, and I won't talk to them beyond the warning about the dog. Then I immediately call the police, who are very good about sending a car out to check for licenses, etc.

I was in the yard pulling weeds one day and a young man came by with spray paint and number stencils, wanting $20 to put my house number on the curb and saying that the Mayor and a local TV news anchor recommended it. I said no, pointed out that my house number is large, easy to see from the street, and lit 24 hours a day. Then I went inside, called the Mayor's office, and the local TV station about door- to-door solicitors using their names. About 2 minutes later TWO police cars arrived, one from each end of the block, and on the evening and late night news the TV station warned the public about the current scam.

You are much nicer than I am! Unless it's a neighbor's child selling Girl Scout Cookies, I don't open the door. I have a 60# dog who sounds like Cujo, and that generally gets strangers off the porch right away as soon as I call out "the dog doesn't like strangers". (Then I give her a pat, and tell her what a good girl she is.) My dog knows and likes my neighbors, but barks her fool head off at strangers, and that is fine with me.

If it is a neighborhood child selling something for school, and am polite to the child while saying no thanks, and then I call the administrative office of the local school district with my standard rant -- how dare they send children out to raise money for the school district? It is dangerous to the children because of traffic, animals, and predators/criminals, etc. Further, if the schools need money, the board needs to readjust the budget and then get the guts to go to the voters for a referendum. Using children is unacceptable on many levels. Several friends do the same thing, and we may all be on a special list of callers they don't want to hear from . . .

Adult solicitors who I do not know never get in the house, and I won't talk to them beyond the warning about the dog. Then I immediately call the police, who are very good about sending a car out to check for licenses, etc.

I was in the yard pulling weeds one day and a young man came by with spray paint and number stencils, wanting $20 to put my house number on the curb and saying that the Mayor and a local TV news anchor recommended it. I said no, pointed out that my house number is large, easy to see from the street, and lit 24 hours a day. Then I went inside, called the Mayor's office, and the local TV station about door- to-door solicitors using their names. About 2 minutes later TWO police cars arrived, one from each end of the block, and on the evening and late night news the TV station warned the public about the current scam.

You are much nicer than I am! Unless it's a neighbor's child selling Girl Scout Cookies, I don't open the door. I have a 60# dog who sounds like Cujo, and that generally gets strangers off the porch right away as soon as I call out "the dog doesn't like strangers". (Then I give her a pat, and tell her what a good girl she is.) My dog knows and likes my neighbors, but barks her fool head off at strangers, and that is fine with me.

If it is a neighborhood child selling something for school, and am polite to the child while saying no thanks, and then I call the administrative office of the local school district with my standard rant -- how dare they send children out to raise money for the school district? It is dangerous to the children because of traffic, animals, and predators/criminals, etc. Further, if the schools need money, the board needs to readjust the budget and then get the guts to go to the voters for a referendum. Using children is unacceptable on many levels. Several friends do the same thing, and we may all be on a special list of callers they don't want to hear from . . .

Adult solicitors who I do not know never get in the house, and I won't talk to them beyond the warning about the dog. Then I immediately call the police, who are very good about sending a car out to check for licenses, etc.

I was in the yard pulling weeds one day and a young man came by with spray paint and number stencils, wanting $20 to put my house number on the curb and saying that the Mayor and a local TV news anchor recommended it. I said no, pointed out that my house number is large, easy to see from the street, and lit 24 hours a day. Then I went inside, called the Mayor's office, and the local TV station about door- to-door solicitors using their names. About 2 minutes later TWO police cars arrived, one from each end of the block, and on the evening and late night news the TV station warned the public about the current scam.

You are not cranky, and are actually much nicer than I am! How I treat people at the door depends on who they are.

Neighbor children I gladly talk to. If they are accompanied by a parent and selling Girl Scout Cookies or raising money for a church group or non-school thing, that generally gets a sale and/or donation. If they are selling something to raise money for school, I say no very politely, and then go inside and call the school district

-- how dare they send out children to raise money for the schools? First, it is dangerous for the children (unfriendly animals, traffic, predators and other criminal types, etc.) Secondly, if the school needs money, adjust expenses and have the guts to go to the taxpayers for a referendum.

My midsize dog barks like crazy when strangers are at the door, and I just call out "the dog doesn't like strangers", and they tend to leave. Then I call the police, who are very good about sending a police car to check for permits, etc. (And I tell the dog what a good girl she was, and give her a treat. The dog knows and likes the neighbors -- strangers are another matter.)

Last summer I was in the front yard pulling weeds, and a man came up with spray paint and number stencils, wanting to spray the house numbers on the curb and saying that both the Mayor and the local TV news anchor recommended it. I pointed out that my house numbers are large, clear, easily seen from the street, and lit 24 hours a day. Then I went inside and got on the phone. I called the Mayor's office, and almost immediately TWO police cars arrived, one from each end of the block. I don't know what happened to the man, but they took him, probably with a stern warning about using the Mayor's name and soliciting without a license. I also called the local TV station, and that night on both the evening and late night news they announced very clearly that nobody at the station recommended the house numbers on curbs, that the Mayor did not make that recommendation and never allows his name or office to be used by solicitors or businesses, and that they believed it was a scam. It was also in the newspaper the next morning.

You are not cranky, and are actually much nicer than I am! How I treat people at the door depends on who they are.

Neighbor children I gladly talk to. If they are accompanied by a parent and selling Girl Scout Cookies or raising money for a church group or non-school thing, that generally gets a sale and/or donation. If they are selling something to raise money for school, I say no very politely, and then go inside and call the school district

-- how dare they send out children to raise money for the schools? First, it is dangerous for the children (unfriendly animals, traffic, predators and other criminal types, etc.) Secondly, if the school needs money, adjust expenses and have the guts to go to the taxpayers for a referendum.

My midsize dog barks like crazy when strangers are at the door, and I just call out "the dog doesn't like strangers", and they tend to leave. Then I call the police, who are very good about sending a police car to check for permits, etc. (And I tell the dog what a good girl she was, and give her a treat. The dog knows and likes the neighbors -- strangers are another matter.)

Last summer I was in the front yard pulling weeds, and a man came up with spray paint and number stencils, wanting to spray the house numbers on the curb and saying that both the Mayor and the local TV news anchor recommended it. I pointed out that my house numbers are large, clear, easily seen from the street, and lit 24 hours a day. Then I went inside and got on the phone. I called the Mayor's office, and almost immediately TWO police cars arrived, one from each end of the block. I don't know what happened to the man, but they took him, probably with a stern warning about using the Mayor's name and soliciting without a license. I also called the local TV station, and that night on both the evening and late night news they announced very clearly that nobody at the station recommended the house numbers on curbs, that the Mayor did not make that recommendation and never allows his name or office to be used by solicitors or businesses, and that they believed it was a scam. It was also in the newspaper the next morning.

Neither! And thanks for reminding me.....I have a small 'No Soliciting' sign on my glass storm door but when I changed to the screen this spring I forgot to put another one up.

We tried numerous signs to try and stop Doorbellringing Solicitors and thought for a while that they could not read. We have three steps leading up to our front door and a hand railing, at the lower end of the hand railing I put up the following sign, "WATCH OUT FOR SPIDERS". It seems to have done the trick. Naturally if you want your mail delivered you have to tell your postie what the sign is for.

Fred

Thanks for all the responses. It is just a sad thing. When DH came home last night and I started to tell him the story - as soon as I told him her line of "I want to be an EMT-Paramedic" - he just burst out with "oh my, I can see the doors opeining here, and did my honey sit her down an d have a nice talk on the porch?" We did agree, that this is exactly the kind of thing that in the scam world would appeal to people that want to be nice or kind-hearted. This just bothers me for so many reasons, from the sacmming point, rather than getting a more real job - of which there are many around here (all of which I'm overqualified for) to the susceptibility of people to being scammed.

Anyhow, we hoped that after she hightailed it away, that her crew moved on. But, decided that I should report them to the HOA so they can send out a notice. And I guess I'll call the Sheriff's office (that's what we have in Loudoun CT) - and report the activity. DH seemed to think that he saw something about this on one of the local news shows.s

Y'knoa, I actually remember the real Fuller brush man - we looked forward to when he came around, we got new hairbrushes, and mom got somekind of great stuff. And some really cool little tool - like a very full, fine rake, for cleaning the hairbrushes. But, that was then, and this is now.

Ellice

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Being a transplanted New Yawka, I know exactly what you mean. I wonder how many people who aren't from the big city (I would imagine any big city) have ever seen the likes of that, or the wristwatch guys that fold everything up and take off like bats out of hell when they see a cop.

Lucille

Shades of the Artful Dodger