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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have sent this young lad away?

27 replies

Charlieboo30 · 28/06/2014 16:03

Just snuggled on the sofa with a duvet (not well) when there's a knock on the door.

Go to open it and there's a young lad who was really polite. He explained that he had recently got out of a young offenders but wasn't a 'troublemaker anymore' and had been taken on by a company selling things door to door. He had ID and it all seemed as legit as it could. He asked if he could show me the items and I said I was no thanks. To be honest, I'm not well and I don't think I've got much cash on me (maybe £2 in my purse!)

I have never seen anybody look so crushed and upset in my life. I now feel so bad and a bit teary. DP always says I'm far too gullible in these situations. Just interested to see what others think?

OP posts:
Canus · 28/06/2014 16:04

It's a well known scam/con/money making thing.

PotteringAlong · 28/06/2014 16:05

It's a scam. Door to door selling is not a probation scheme. Don't feel bad and I hope you get better soon.

WorraLiberty · 28/06/2014 16:07

In other words, were you being unreasonable to tell a cold caller you don't want what they are trying to sell?

YANBU

The rest is a pointless waste of your energy/emotions

He'll stop looking 'crushed' and get over it about 10 houses down the street

That's if it's not a con, because many of them are just a made up sob story, to get you to buy their inferior goods.

Original poster
Charlieboo30 · 28/06/2014 16:08

worrall - are you my Dp?! That's what he said!

OP posts:
Original poster
Charlieboo30 · 28/06/2014 16:09

Sorry that should have said Worra! My sickness is obviously affecting my ability to type!

OP posts:
I8toys · 28/06/2014 16:09

I hate door to door salesman/charity sellers etc. However - I too am gullible but always try to give people the benefit of the doubt. I've bought pegs and all sorts of stuff because I too hate that look of crushing disappointment.

Its too late to do something now but don't beat yourself up. I am sure there will be others, like me, that will buy a chamois!!

WorraLiberty · 28/06/2014 16:10

Yes dear. Would you like a cup of tea? Grin Brew

SquigglySquid · 28/06/2014 16:12

If it's not a scam to buy their crappy merchandise, it's a ploy to case your house. We had that happen. Boys were selling candy door to door talking about turning their life around. In reality they were casing the houses for when people left on holiday vacation. The police came by to question them and get the paper work from the adult driving them around. They left pretty quick.

BanjoKazooie · 28/06/2014 16:22

I have a no cold callers sign on my door and no longer get any of these door to door sellers. I don't like them and I don't trust them. Even if I knew they were 100% genuine and honest I still wouldn't want them calling at my door.

I wish other people wouldn't buy from them.

If you were trying to think of a scheme to help young offenders it seems odd to choose door to door selling. Confused

I would happily support other schemes to support ex offenders.

Original poster
Charlieboo30 · 28/06/2014 16:25

Banjo - that's what I thought! I have no problem with the fact he was an ex offender, I'm just a bit Hmm about buying things on the doorstep.

OP posts:
melodycool · 28/06/2014 16:26

They're called Nottingham Knockers and they're looking for vulnerable homes to rob

WorraLiberty · 28/06/2014 16:33

Sounds like a bra shop Melodycool Grin

DoomDeer · 28/06/2014 16:33

Used to be a door to door charity worker(wasn't a pleasant job).

It is 100% illegal to ask for cash on the door(I think milkmen, window washers and kids washing your car are o.k though), so don't fall for it. The only thing door to door people are allowed to ask for is for you to set up a direct debit with their charity or company.

BanjoKazooie · 28/06/2014 16:34

Lol Grin

perrinelli · 28/06/2014 16:34

We get the odd guy in a van coming to the door usually saying "we deliver to some of your neighbours, haven't you heard of us?" And some story about leftover stock from a trade show or whatever, selling at a bargain price . One guy showed me some nice teak benches in the back , last week it was someone with king prawns and Dover sole fillets in polystyrene containers in the back! Can't imagine he got many takers , but who knows!

BalloonSlayer · 28/06/2014 16:36

Oh been there, been conned, bought the scourers that disintegrate on contact with water.

The stuff is always awful quality and overpriced and falls apart after 5 minutes.

There is always a sob story. "Been in prison for punching my stepfather because he was beating up my Mum" was one I was told.

I only got the courage to tell one of them to go away because as I opened the door he was wiping dogshit off his shoe onto our porch.

Now if I see anyone with a ginormous holdall in the vicinity I just don't answer the door for the next hour.

Do you ever get the foreign "art students" trying to sell their paintings? As you see from above I am a soft touch but the paintings are atrocious.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 28/06/2014 16:36

To be fair, he may have been legit. Loads of the jobs on job centre direct are shitty door to door sales. Plus when people are desperate door to door selling of cheap items is a reasonably enterprising way to get cash.

Andrewofgg · 28/06/2014 17:49

This is what door-chains and spy holes are for. Say No and don't be embarrassed or ashamed.

hackmum · 28/06/2014 18:00

As Melody said, it's known as the Nottingham scam, though I'm not sure it's to do with looking for places to burgle, it's just selling you overpriced crap. Did he say he was part of a scheme specifically targeted at young offenders? Because those don't exist (apparently). If he just said he'd been taken on by a company, I suppose it could be true, but then there'd be no need to mention the young offender bit at all.

Original poster
Charlieboo30 · 28/06/2014 18:10

He said he'd been employed by a company but was telling me about the young offenders thing as he 'wanted to be honest'.

OP posts:
GoldenGytha · 28/06/2014 18:11

I would have said No Thankyou too, I'm never rude or unpleasant, I just say No Thanks.

I once had a young guy come to the door saying he was recently arrived from overseas, was starting college, and could I please support him financially through his course!

LizLimone · 28/06/2014 18:20

I know how you feel but I hate door-to-door salespeople with a passion. It's a really stupid way to reach customers. A woman home alone answers the door to someone who's telling her he just came out of prison and she's going to go and get her wallet and buy something from him? Really?? They didn't think that through, did they? Although of course that's not the young guy's fault at all.

Had the same thing happen to me recently - was home alone trying to get toddler DS to eat his dinner and a guy calls to the door saying he was homeless and now living in a shelter trying to rebuild his life and is fundraising for said shelter etc. I didn't give him anything but felt bad about it. I just didn't like being approached on my doorstep by a strange man while home alone.

FayeKorgasm · 28/06/2014 18:31

I had the same story OP.

When I said no thanks, I was very polite, I was treated to screams of abuse. It wasn't pleasant. I live in a small village, no shops, buses etc and it was a bit scarey as I was alone - expect for my useless chocolate lab!

StillStayingClassySanDiego · 28/06/2014 18:58

I told a young lad that I had no cash to buy his stuff, it was true.

He walked off murmuring about ' give me a fucking break will ya'.

I won't engage if possible, the worst behaviour came from an elderly woman wanting money for Christian Aid, she was relentless and wouldn't shift!

StillStayingClassySanDiego · 28/06/2014 19:01

I told a young lad that I had no cash to buy his stuff, it was true.

He walked off murmuring about ' give me a fucking break will ya'.

I won't engage if possible, the worst behaviour came from an elderly woman wanting money for Christian Aid, she was relentless and wouldn't shift!