Youths selling overpriced dishcloths door-to-door

[kford]

For the second time this week we've be doorstepped by a youth selling tea towels and whatnots from a basket. Last Thursday at 9.45pm and just now.

I politely said I'm not interested and, when he ignored this and tried to force his dubious ID in my face, I closed the door only to hear him reel off a tirade of abuse and peer through the frosted glass of our front door for a minute or so.

They're working the roads off Lordship Lane, if you hear a knock at the door just now.

[Narnia]

My wife felt sorry for them and gave them ?2 without buying anything. Better they try and make a crust this way than some other ways. If you didn't see the ID how can you say it was dubious as he was obviously unsuccessful in forcing it into your face?

[alistairm]

i got the abuse too at 7.30

[Jeremy]

Chances are it's an organised scam...

[Sue]

There was a lot of publicity about this a few years back.

It's not a charity, and it's not a scheme for unemployed people.

It's a scheme for someone to make a lot of money selling tat.

[kford]

Narnia Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> My wife felt sorry for them and gave them ?2

> without buying anything. Better they try and make

> a crust this way than some other ways. If you

> didn't see the ID how can you say it was dubious

> as he was obviously unsuccessful in forcing it

> into your face?

Sorry, better that young lads knock you up at 9.45pm and hawk overpriced jeyes cloths at you, then hurl abuse when you politely say you're not interested? How would you feel if you were old or on your own? Please don't encourage this behaviour.

It's been covered before on here and the general consensus, surprise, surprise, is that they're dodgy.

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,11069,page=1

Edited to add link

[????]

Gawd...this has been going on for years they're called "knockers" all dodgy

[Penguin68]

they're called "knockers" all dodgy

They are certainly dodgy - but 'knockers' in my day used to be those people who offered to buy antiques from you 'take this old thing off your hands' - always dreadfully underpriced and sometimes just an excuse to gain entry and steal things.

These boys are normally 'run' by someone in a van parked in a side street - they don't even get to keep the money they 'earn' for selling complete tat - so feeling sorry for them and thinking you are giving them something to be charitable isn't even a deal. It all goes back to their gang master - very often a very nasty piece of work.

[SteveT]

Just say to them "someone called earlier this week so try another street". They leave saying thank you.

[????]

They get a little cut and you're right they're dropped off in vans in 'posh' areas/

[thebestnameshavegone]

Phone the police immediately

[Reg Smeeton]

Tonight's conversation (about 9:30pm) went roughly as follows:

Him: I'm selling dishcloths, ?3

Me: Sorry, I'm not interested, especially at this time of night. Thank you.

Him: You f*** c***, what you f***ing... (and so on as the door clicks shut)

[Ann]

They've knocked on my door many times and certainly for the first time at least 10 years ago, they're nothing new.

The first time I did buy a couple of items but quickly reached the conclusion that the 'mark ups' were far too high. I've since been somewhat abrupt with them and barely opened my door to the young man who approached the other night. If he swore at me a really couldn't say as I returned back to what I was doing but I do think the aggressive style selling is unpleasant to say the least.

[*Bob*]

Reg Smeeton Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Him: You f*** c***, what you f***ing... (and so

> on as the door clicks shut)

Ah yes.. I had this identical response the last time this gentleman called to peddle his wares - a few months back.

I can only assume that the plan is to make the exchange sufficiently unpleasant so as to encourage you to buy the next time they call - if only to avoid more of the same.

F****** C****, to be honest.

[ratty]

.

[BQC]

Say your day-job is a Spook. Works every time for me.

[sophiesofa]

My granny (in surrey) sometimes mentions how the charity dish cloth sellers have been round again and now I'm concerned she's being fleeced. So is it always a scam or are there some/any legit schemes? Thanks

[daizie]

When I answer the door I open my gob and shout im skint, they go no problem .

[????]

..presumablty after they've had a crap?

[Penguin68]

So is it always a scam or are there some/any legit schemes? Unless the charity being supported is one very well known to her (Christian Aid; Oxfam) I would assume that it's always a scam - and I don't know of any reputable charity that does this door-to-door selling. Unfortunately - having already bought she will be identified as a mark for these rogues, and will need a lot of moral courage, and support, to resist them - the effing and blinding they use is meant to be intimidatory - and it works. They often call in the dark - I would suggest her never opening the door after dark unless she can identify the person calling as legitimate - a known friend or relative - I assume she has some way of viewing caller before she opens the door - and only opening the door on a chain is also a good idea, if she is in any way uncertain.

The important thing is for her to realise that only a tiny amount of what is given goes to the 'needy' caller, the rest goes to a (to all intents and purposes) criminal - since he is running a fraudulent enterprise posing as a charity.

[sophiesofa]

Thanks penguin I'll call her tonight although I doubt she'll heed my words - she's too trusting of people. She lives on a road where it seems everyone is over the age of 65ish so I guess they probably do well from that road. The thought of someone doing that to my granny is making my blood boil!

[Penguin68]

sophiesofa

It may well be worth pursuing this google link and printing out some of the warnings contained here as 'evidence' for your granny that this is a known and common scam. It may help convice her.

http://www.google.co.uk/webhp?hl=en&lr=#hl=en&source=hp&q=%27door-to-door+duster+salesmen%27&btnG=Google+Search&meta=cr%3DcountryUK%7CcountryGB&aq=f&oq=%27door-to-door+duster+salesmen%27&fp=b4cf6fad4ba38e6b

[sophiesofa]

thanks again penguin

[AcedOut]

I never answer the door unless I'm expecting someone. Simple as that.

[lpool]

Purely a scam - you could try a different tact and ask for details of the charity and its registration number so that you can take a look in your own time - plus if you then decide to donate money it will mean they get the benefit of being able to claim tax relief.

Have found lately that they are becoming more persistent in their sales technique (maybe sales are down due to the recession!) and take twice as long to understand the word "no".