On the evening of Tuesday, March 16 a young man named "Jimmy"came to my door saying that he was a Reserve soldier working for Success Express Sales, Inc. And he was looking for people to vote for him. He then said he is a part of a competition trying to win a trip to Europe by getting votes. He asked us to fill out a comment card stating he was respectful and great to the people he visits. Never saying anything about money he asked to come in to use our table to fill out the comment card. I invited him in because he stated he was the son of a CO (Commissioned Officer) attached to 3rd Infantry division which is a unit on my post. He also knew about the units stationed here on Fort Benning, Proficient with Military Rank Structure, Basic Training and MOS's in the Army. He told us that if we were to buy magazines from him he gets points helping him with the competition which was so much better for him to win the trip then just filling out the comment card. Every time I asked him about money his catch fraise was "No it's even easier than that". He came with a good story like "Your neighbor just bought magazines from me" (while flashing cash). And "My father is an officer with 3rd ID". We (Me & My Wife) gave him a check for the subscription of the magazines. He said thank you and left. Right after he left the house we realized that it could be an scam. I got on my computer and started to do research about the company that he works for. After I saw on the computer that the company had scammed people in the past I rushed to find him in our complex while my wife called the MP's (Military Police).
When the MP asked him for ID and permit to sell on this installation he said "I don't have one."
The MP then said "How did you get on post?"
Jimmy said "I was hiding in the back of a car."
The MP then put him in handcuffs and took him to the Fort Benning Station. The next day my wife was worried about the Scam we became victims of and she did a big research in the web and you are not gonna believe what we find out. The company have 27 employees sleeping in 2 hotel rooms, who knows how?!?! What are they putting these kids that work for them through? Is there any laws that can save future victims? What they do is that the go military installation by military installation with the same story about the competition and after a week of selling they change addresses and phone numbers and you never get your magazines or money. Their best victims are our Army Wives who's husbands are deployed. We try to call the city police and they said "We can't stop them because the company has a business license and they pay their employees." but they too were concerned!!! They are not just attacking military members it's our fellow civilian supporters and family. So at the end you don't get your money back and you never see them again. Many people don't get their magazines some say they do, but I don't understand if they are so legit why are they running such a shady service. Numbers that lead to nowhere and false addresses?
They did it in Ft Benning this month (March) and next week they are moving to Virginia Beach, VA. My wife has already contacted their law enforcement to warn them. I'm sure they will be getting reports soon. They have also been reported to say that they are trying to get Scholarships or are Iraq Vets. We can't do anything about it, but what we are capable of. And that is contacting everyone we can to help our society.
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