On August 16... A young man came to my door claiming to be a college student trying to win a trip to Cancun, Mexico. He was selling magazines and he was very excited about what he was doing... He said he needed 20,000 points to win his trip and he only needed 900 more to reach his goal and could I please help.
I had just returned that morning from taking my children home to Illinois from our summer visit together... So I was very sad, vulnerable, and "broke". He was very friendly, persuasive, and flirtatious. I thought it might make me feel a little better if I could help out a friendly soul and send my 2 children a gift from me... A magazine they would each like. When I looked the list over and saw how expensive the magazines were, I decided I couldn't afford to do that so I just ordered one magazine for me.
Well that one Cosmo magazine subscription for one year was going to cost me $30 plus $10 s/h. Not only that but, I was told I would receive my magazine in 90-120 days. That seemed like a long time to wait when it was only going to take them a couple of days to cash my check. I was reluctant, but felt obligated now that this man was in my home be-friending me. So I wrote the check and he went on his way.
After I started thinking about it, I became suspicious and regretful that I gave this young man almost the only money I had left. So I tried to cancel my subscription. There was no phone number to call. So I called information and got a # that no one would answer. I couldn't get ahold of anyone to cancel it after trying all weekend. Then I got on-line to try to cancel thru their web site.
That's when I found all these "fraud" reports. I read a bunch of them and it all sounded just like what happened to me. So I immediatley called my bank and put a stop payment on the check. Well that cost me $29 to do that, but it was cheaper than the check I wrote them. I think that's a rip off too, but at least PMI won't be getting my money. So I will chalk it up as yet another lesson learned..."Never by anything from a door to door sales person or over the phone!" It doesn't always pay off to do a good deed or be nice...
MICHELLE
GOLDEN, Colorado
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