There was a girl (Ashley S) probably in her 20s going door to door in my apartment complex today asking for people to help her accumulate points for this contest she was in at school (University of Phoenix). She told me she was in communications and this was something she had to do to get over her shyness and talk to as many strangers as she can.
So, initially, I thought she was just going door to door introducing herself and not actually selling things. So, I listened to her rant on for a minute or two and she was a smooth talker and very friendly. Then, she opened up this pamphlet with magazine subscriptions and the points she would receive below each subscription. She told me she only had to get two more people tonight and she was done and that with the points she accumulated, she would get $2000 towards whatever she wanted. The points could be used towards a trip or tuition but that she was using it towards school (how scholarly of her). I answered the door with my 16 month old and she went on to talk about her 6 month old baby (probably a lie). She was quite the talker.
I told her I wasn't interested and she went on to tell me if I didn't want the subscription for myself, you can get them sent to the troops overseas or to the sick kids in the hospital. I am a softie for children so I thought it'd be nice to send it to the hospital. I still can't believe they used the whole sick children hospital line to lure people in. That is just very wrong.
So, I agreed and wrote a check for $49 for a two year subscription. She gave me my receipts (one was my copy and one for tax deductible) and told me to sign between the two smiley faces she had drawn and that I had to ask her about them before signing. So I asked and she told me, "It's because I'm so happy I'm close to winning." Looking back, I just want to smack that smile off her face.
Anyways, my brother just came into town and he was a little skeptical. She told me to tape a piece of paper she had written her name down on my door so her competitors would know she was already there. She left and my brother found this site and told me it's a scam. He then went out looking for her and found her around the corner at someone else's door and asked for my check back. She was taken back and I was afraid she was going to pepper spray him because she had told us earlier she carries it around just in case.
They both came back to my door and she told me she needed the two receipts back. My brother then went on to ask her why she had said 'sorry' when he approached her if she wasn't at fault and she replied that she had no idea it was a scam (such BS) and he told her to look it up online.
I am just so disgusted they would use sick children hospitals and oversea troops to get their little cut out of this whole scam.
I am just lucky my brother came to my rescue and saved me $49. I have definitely learned my lesson.
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