I am a college student living in a large apartment complex. About a month ago, a young many came to my door and said that he was "talking to people" to earn points towards a trip for some sort of organization that he was in. He only told me to pick out my favorite magazine off of his list, not that I would be purchasing it or how much it cost. I agreed to buy one, and paid the $40 in cash and received my receipt for it. I didn't really think much more about the whole situation, since I had a receipt and everything, but recently have started to wonder where my magazines are.
Just yesterday, a different young man came to my door and asked if anyone had already talked to me about this. I said yes that I had already purchased a magazine from someone else. He basically ignored what I had just told him and proceeded to tell me all about the magazines as well as pointing out several other people who were walking around the apartment complex knocking on other doors. He told me that all the proceeds would go to the American Cancer Society.
I told him that I couldn't really afford it right now. He said to me in these exact words, "it's ok, if you pay wtih a check they will hold it for 10 days and you can cancel your order as long as you do it within 3 business days." I said to him that I still didn't think I wanted to order one. He kept persisting and I finally realized that the only way I was going to get this guy to leave was to write him a check, so I did.
After he left, I was looking over my receipt and noticed that it siad that no checks will be held and there is a $30 fee for all cancelled checks. Then I started to be a little suspicious, so I looked the company up on Google and found this website full of complaints against the company.
I have already sent in my receipt for my refund, not that I actually think that I will get one. I have found as much information as I can about this company as well as filing a report with the Better Business Bureau. I plan on contacting the company first thing Monday morning as well as my bank to place a stop payment on my check.
I am so mad at myself for falling for this scam twice as well as at the people that run these scams taking advantage of college students with tight budgets and nice, average people.
0 comments