Shopping Discussion

door to door scam

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  • Aug 27th, 2011 4:59 pm
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Deal Addict
Nov 12, 2006
2968 posts
79 upvotes

door to door scam

A woman came to my door and said she wanted to do an air quality test "just like the one Mike Holmes does". I think the ocmpan y was Green Air.

the first thing that came to my mind was BS. When I saw how she ran the test by having an enclosed fan suck air over a peitri dish I thought scam! She had me sign something saying they could contact me about the results, big scam! But being a curious fellow.....as requested I left the dish upstairs for a couple of weeks and received a phone call one night at 7pm...."hey we are in the neighborhood and want to come buy to see the dish". I said sure but I was really busy.

Instead of a woman coming buy a guy came by:

scum: "is your wife home too?"
me: "she is but she is busy with the kid"
scum: "I need to talk to both of you so I will come back later"
me: "I am here now and available my wife is usually busy withe kid"
scum: "I need to talk to both of you" in a more forceful voice.
me: "no you don't need to talk to my wife, I am here"
scum: even more forcefully "yes I do! It is the regulation" (WTF?)
me: "here is your peitri dish. Don't come back"...in a tone that made sure he got the message.


So this POS gets buy one naive people that can be bullied into a product that is a scam.
The test was bogus (university Biology here) and the guy was a scum (hey I used to be a nice salesman among sharks).

So if you see a peitri dish sitting at someones house and are concerned....be concerned.

sm
13 replies
Deal Addict
User avatar
Nov 26, 2007
1226 posts
130 upvotes
Barrie/Toronto
Have you contacted the company?

Did you even read what you signed? Why on earth would you sign anything from someone who came to your door? :facepalm:

Expect bills to show up, then expect the company to come after to you for said bogus bills.

http://www.ignorethedoor.ca/ - For next time ;)
My Ebay items for sale: HERE! :)
Member
User avatar
Dec 10, 2006
275 posts
33 upvotes
There was some scheme where a company would go door-to-door, and tell people they were here to test the city water in your neighbourhood. It was phrased in such a way that the homeowner would think it's someone from the municipality, even though technically they wouldn't say it.

They would take a sample, and using some kind of electrolysis or something they'd have the water turn brown..

They were selling water purification systems from thousands of dollars.



Sounds like they were up to the same schtick, maybe selling air purifiers.
Member
User avatar
Aug 20, 2010
287 posts
77 upvotes
frustrated inc. wrote: There was some scheme where a company would go door-to-door, and tell people they were here to test the city water in your neighbourhood. It was phrased in such a way that the homeowner would think it's someone from the municipality, even though technically they wouldn't say it.

They would take a sample, and using some kind of electrolysis or something they'd have the water turn brown..

They were selling water purification systems from thousands of dollars.



Sounds like they were up to the same schtick, maybe selling air purifiers.


So you watch CBC's marketplace too? It was a funny story.
Deal Addict
Nov 12, 2006
2968 posts
79 upvotes
catwalk wrote: Have you contacted the company?

Did you even read what you signed? Why on earth would you sign anything from someone who came to your door? :facepalm:

Expect bills to show up, then expect the company to come after to you for said bogus bills.

http://www.ignorethedoor.ca/ - For next time ;)

LOL.....I knew what was going on and know what I am doing.

Of course I read what I signed (in a weird signature). It was about a single sentence, if it was a paragraph I would not have put the time in to read or sign it......it said that I allowed them to contact me on this item. They don't have to come to my door to get random signatures. Your conclusions are unfounded but thank you.

The reason this is presented to the potential victim:
-If they don't sign it shows that they are less open to being scammed
-it gets their foot in the door.....who knows what they tell senile people what they had signed.

Same reason that the guy was so pushy with me....if I let him bully us he would think he could bully us into a purchase.

If they presented it to yourself you would say no way and they would know they were wasting their time. Me, I was curious about the scam and did not mind wasting their time. If they did not demand to have my wife their too I would have let them go through their pitch. I love punting scum and was curious on their technique.

stuntman
Deal Addict
Nov 12, 2006
2968 posts
79 upvotes
northfur1 wrote: So you watch CBC's marketplace too? It was a funny story.

These scammers knock on thousands of doors and use the same story over and over again. From that post alone it is not unreasonable to think they knocked on frustrated incs door too.

Heck this scam might have been on their too.
Sr. Member
User avatar
Oct 15, 2007
852 posts
75 upvotes
Once again... never buy, sign or agree to anything from someone who knocks on your door unless it's a girl selling girl guide cookies. Don't ever let a stranger inside your house no matter how nice that uniform looks or how much they say you're in trouble with the authorities. Just politely ask them for any pamphlets or other literature they have and cordially advise that if you're interested, you'll call them; then say thank you but I'm really busy and politely close the door.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Nov 13, 2008
6132 posts
1005 upvotes
Fort Saskatchewan
frustrated inc. wrote: There was some scheme where a company would go door-to-door, and tell people they were here to test the city water in your neighbourhood. It was phrased in such a way that the homeowner would think it's someone from the municipality, even though technically they wouldn't say it.

They would take a sample, and using some kind of electrolysis or something they'd have the water turn brown..

They were selling water purification systems from thousands of dollars.



Sounds like they were up to the same schtick, maybe selling air purifiers.

Lol, I saw something hanging off my door with a little bottle asking us for a water sample. We live in a house that is less than 2 years old in a brand new area. I have a brand new water heater. I just told the wife to throw the scam material in the garbage and ignore it. Also told the neighbor it was a scam (because she is a little bit older and might have fallen for it otherwise)
˙dlǝɥ ɹoɟ ǝɯ WԀ oʇ ǝɯoɔlǝʍ lǝǝℲ ˙spɹolɹǝʌO pℲɹ ʎɯ ɟo ǝɔᴉʌɹǝs uᴉ ƃuᴉʇɐɹǝpoW ʎlᴉddɐH
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Jun 3, 2008
8405 posts
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Tacoma wrote: Once again... never buy, sign or agree to anything from someone who knocks on your door unless it's a girl selling girl guide cookies. Don't ever let a stranger inside your house no matter how nice that uniform looks or how much they say you're in trouble with the authorities. Just politely ask them for any pamphlets or other literature they have and cordially advise that if you're interested, you'll call them; then say thank you but I'm really busy and politely close the door.

Girl selling girl guide cookies asking you to sign to sign a EULA? XD
EmperorOfCanada wrote: Lol, I saw something hanging off my door with a little bottle asking us for a water sample. We live in a house that is less than 2 years old in a brand new area. I have a brand new water heater. I just told the wife to throw the scam material in the garbage and ignore it. Also told the neighbor it was a scam (because she is a little bit older and might have fallen for it otherwise)

Should've given them some questionable bodily fluids.
Deal Fanatic
Feb 26, 2008
5135 posts
55 upvotes
Tacoma wrote: Once again... never buy, sign or agree to anything from someone who knocks on your door unless it's a girl selling girl guide cookies. Don't ever let a stranger inside your house no matter how nice that uniform looks or how much they say you're in trouble with the authorities. Just politely ask them for any pamphlets or other literature they have and cordially advise that if you're interested, you'll call them; then say thank you but I'm really busy and politely close the door.

Politely close the door?
More likely I'd slam the door on them (well, my door automatically slams anyways).

Used to have the direct energy or whatever those many energy contract people come here twice a day sometimes.
There is construction nearby and they would always assume my "place is brand new".

I've been here 5 years and the builders are extremely slow here.
These "kids" would come by and try to convince to that signing a contract where you pay 35 cents per whatever is better than the 12 cents per unit I'm paying now for gas/energy/etc.

Always asking for my bill too, and usually I file that away as soon as I get it. too much trouble to get it out for random people at the door.

One lady once she even tried to force her way into my house after I refused..really crazy salesperson.
thankfully have had no salespeople in the past 2 months,don't answer the door during the day- unless you order a pizza ;)
Deal Addict
Nov 12, 2006
2968 posts
79 upvotes
Tacoma wrote: Once again... never buy, sign or agree to anything from someone who knocks on your door unless it's a girl selling girl guide cookies. Don't ever let a stranger inside your house no matter how nice that uniform looks or how much they say you're in trouble with the authorities. Just politely ask them for any pamphlets or other literature they have and cordially advise that if you're interested, you'll call them; then say thank you but I'm really busy and politely close the door.

That is a disrespectful statement.
Once again.....grandpa styles never cease to amaze me.

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