Two attractive young people knocked on my door. I looked out the peep hole and asked who they were. "neighbors!" said one of the girls. I immediately opened the door. I had not seen them in the neighborhood but then I have grown children and don't pay too much attention to the local kids. One of them was chatting me up about my cat who was perched outside the door. After a minute of that I asked what they were up to. They said were homeschooled and their parents were embarrassed that they were going door to door in the neighborhood asking for magazine and book orders to help fund a trip to Maui with their winning softball team.
They whipped out a magazine and children's book order index. I scanned the magazine order sheet and said I wasn't interested. I then looked at the children's book order form. One of the girls had already told me I could give them the $55 and donate the book series to Children's Hospital in Oakland CA. I said that would be fine. I wrote them a check to Destiny Sales LLC and they gave me a receipt.
It didn't sink in for several hours that the previous year, in January, I had gone through a similiar transaction with a young man who was trying to fund a trip to Europe. He was working for Prestige Sales USA. He also lived in the neighborhood and was home schooled. I donated the book series to Oakland Children's Hospital that time too.
I pulled up consumer complaints on both Destiny Sales LLC and Prestige Sales USA online. I stopped payment on my check to Destiny but have yet to find out if the neighbor next door got scammed. They told me she had bought two sets of books. Also, when I entered my order number on their web site, it "didn't exist". They are scam artists. Very personable and engaging. Very good at sales. Too bad their energy is into criminal activity.
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