Offender rehab door-to-door seller

[Adam]

Just had a guy come round selling household products in Friern Road at high prices out of his hold-all. Said he was on a rehab scheme where he gets accommodation paid for but said he couldn't discount his prices. He said the organisation was called Helping Hands. Felt bad for him and bought something for a tenner. I bought something from one of these guys some years back and other times I have told them I'm not interested. But looking online many think this is a scam. Some people even think the guys could be burglars casing properties. There are organisations called "Helping Hands" online but none that seem to involve criminal rehab or this type of selling. Anyone know for sure? I called 101 (as advised on another online thread) but the woman I spoke to was no help.

[Sue]

These people have been trying it on in East Dulwich for years.

Yes it's a scam. Sorry!

[skylorikeet]

Adam there are many threads about this, most of which seem to agree it's a scam. It's definitely not an ex-offenders rehab. scheme: I contacted the Home Office a while back to ask that and got this reply:

As a result of the Government's recent probation reforms, 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) were established in order to deliver rehabilitation services in England and Wales to low and medium risk offenders.

The CRCs are not involved in such door-to-door selling schemes and we do not condone such activity. We firmly believe that offenders should be integrated back into the community in a more positive manner than this. These schemes are run by private companies, not the CRCs.

[ianr]

Some previous threads on hawkers and pedlars: https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,2016178,2018236 https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1853516

[Adam]

Thanks for the replies guys. I am curious to know who?s behind it. The guy on this occasion seemed a decent fella, which is why I bought something. Horrible to read about the other cases where the guys were abusive or threatening.

[Sue]

In addition, the household products I have seen being sold by these people are very very poor quality for the price being asked.

[KidKruger]

They sell junk at many times shop cost and feed you a fairy story to make it easier to swallow.

Glad you weren?t intimidated by the guy, like a lot of people have been previously.

[smith 41]

Years ago I saw a group of them on Melbourne Grove getting out the a van and a guy was shouting all of them swearing at them calling one of them the c word and then they walked off with the dishcloths and cleaning products to sell obviously he was the man in charge and he was taking the money off them this is a complete scam don?t buy nothing off them

[Hemingway]

it's a scam. 'knockers' have been going on for years and years, even remember an 80s documentary on it, but sure it was around as a thing way before then

[Soylent Green]

Unwell, I was sleeping yesterday afternoon when I was awoken by loud and persistent knocking on the door. Half asleep, I stumbled to answer expecting an emergency for all the hammering. The caller flashed a badge, which could have said anything, though I interrupted his spiel to tell him I was not interested because he had just woken me up. He got all shirty but I closed the door as I don't like door to door selling at the best of times, so feeling unwell and half-asleep I really was in no mind to entertain a selection of shtofs and potions. I was feeling a little guilty, but the scam reports make me feel better, thank you.

[Penguin68]

Sadly many of the younger knockers are run (or have been in the past) by gang-masters - who work out of a van and send them out in droves to 'hit' local streets. So the scammers don't even get to keep most of the proceeds of their scam. They can also certainly be aggressive and threatening. They will have no trading licences to allow them to act as door-to-door salesmen (they are not connected with any charity, whatever they may claim) so the police can move them on, or even arrest them.

[Soylent Green]

This one was a scouser with a duffle bag and not particularly young. Don't know if he is linked to any of the gang-masters. No idea if he was a scammer, but my instinct was just to get shot of him. At least I didn't waste his time.

[Pugwash]

last time this happened in our area, I was told by our SNT Police Officer to report it. Also genuine salespeople will have a licence authorising door to door selling. It is a scam and could be linked to possible burglaries later on.

[Angelina]

why answer the door? You can ask who it is before you open it - thus not exposing yourself to having to deal with anyone you don't want to:

talk to

buy anything from

sponsor (well, maybe, depending but chances are slim)

listen to talk about their religious beliefs

argue with about your gutters and if they need cleaning

help with cashing in a winning lottery ticket

give money to get to them hospital (their wife'e having a baby and their car's broken down)

I'm sure that's covered the major frequent local scams (sorry, the religious one isn't a scam, as such)

[niall]

"but all the gears pony you wally"

"you got brakes on this thing. you'll find out in a minute. weeeey"

"we are the chaps on the road. we do the bets figures.so we're football, they're just muggy boneheads"

any person who gets the quotes wins an torn ironing board cover.

[tuscany se22]

A documentary called 'Knockers " from the early "80's ,West Ham hooligans ,probably early incarnation of the ICF , there's a hysterical badly staged fight with Millwall knockers , a convenient hardware store gets raided for broom handles .

[brezzo]

I loved that show, muggy boneheads and all

[tash b]

Soylent Green Wrote:

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

> This one was a scouser with a duffle bag and not

> particularly young. Don't know if he is linked to

> any of the gang-masters. No idea if he was a

> scammer, but my instinct was just to get shot of

> him. At least I didn't waste his time.

I just got out my car going in to my gate when I was approached very polite he was till I said sorry no money on me then I got a load of abuse off him and another appeared and he was abusive as well, one young one older strong accent

[dbboy]

Had one this evening, he was very polite.

[matthew1]

Just had a guy on barry rd knocking on my door..told him I wasnt interested and got some abuse...

I do worry when they knock on elderly people's doors.

[tash b]

Matthew1 probably same one I?m just on Thompson road, checked on my elderly neighbours 2 doors along he got abuse but just closed the door quick

[matthew1]

I reported online to police but really they need to pick these guys up in the act.

[emahoney64]

The police are happy for you to report these incidents on 101. I have asked them previously and they confirmed that they want to know even if it's just aggressive knocking without any verbal exchanges.

[LivinSaarfMan]

We also had these guys round last night Homestall road - aggressive when my girlfriend changed her mind about spending ?20 on some scissors and upset her. Unfortunately I lost my temper with them too after that ... not happy when I wasn?t scared about them being ex prisoners or the mention of leaving the scissors in my neck :D

Twats who take advantage of people?s good nature; I assumed they were trying to monetise shop lifted stuff but from this thread seems like it is much more organised.

He didn?t want to come get his scissors so we got them for free in the end !!

I?m going to report to police as much awareness as possible - Hopefully the cops will harass them a bit if they see them.

[KidKruger]

Wow they actually threatened to assault you with a weapon and wound you ?!

This just has to stop.