A young man spotted me when I immediately got out of my car and asked if he could approach by asking me a question. That was my first mistake... I was off-guard because I had just gotten back from an disgruntling social event... He asked me if I wanted to aid him in his campaign to earn money to go off to some foreign country (which I do not remember anymore) to teach kids a different language. He said he was competing with other peers to earn 'x' amt of money in order to achieve his goal. He supposedly had to earn points to make the amt for the trip or something along those lines. He told me about children's books that were ridiculously cheap (but was not on mind) and that I could support him by buying in bulk. This went on quite quickly and I wasn't sure what was going on... Yet the only thought running through my head was how I was going to help him and help others in need. How ridiculous of me to drop any common sense that I ever had! I agreed to giving him at first $40 as it was the minimum amount of money he boasted my neighbors were supporting him with AT LEAST. ANd just when I was about to hand him some money, he told me that it would cost an extra $15 for process and handling... So in total I had lost $55.00 that day. Why did I give in to any of this? I made the first mistake by allowing this stranger to come near me and pull me away from the public sidewalk. (SAFETY FIRST?) I was alone and I was fearful that he would assault me... (absurd? But I do have my fears).. And I was naive. I had also given him my information as he smooth talked me for what seemed like 8 minutes. After this incident, I should have noticed that none of this made sense earlier. I somehow did, but was fearful. I can only hope that this does not happen to anyone, and is enough to alarm.
What else made me feel that it was suspicious?
-my neighbors were turning him away while I didn't (which i found out 15 minutes later as I was gaining some conscious state of mind back to me...)
-he filled in the receipt incorrectly (yet oddly he did give me a receipt)
-he was over aggressive and was not concerned with my decision on whether or not I wanted to donate but more so the "sale"
-He filled in the majority of the receipt while I was wondering what the hell he was trying to sell me. (and yet I was foolish enough to sign.)
- part of his pitch related to other competitors that were obviously non-existant... He handed out stickers that had different hand-writing besides his... I believe this was the finale of his pitch... Which distracted my mind from thinking whether or not what he said was truthful
-the company he claimed he was from sells magazines... Not children's books. Yet regardless I have heard other complaints about this company through a magazine sale/scam...
He looked about his 20's, medium build, and went by a generic name.
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