Damn Scam!

[sssax2003]

Ok, so this guy a UT college student comes to my door, and says if I'm interested in a magazine sub. and I say yes. He's wearing a UT shirt, cap, and is young in his 20's. It is to get him points to to get a scholarship. I go with a 4 yr. of Maxim for $24.95. I pay him half which is $12.50, and send the rest in the mail. Happened yesterday and then I go on the net and put in "Mags R Us" and find compliants! Man I gotta tell the people in my St. not to send the rest or cancel the check. Damn Scam! This sucks ass! Said about the same things too. About if I had a jar of coins. I got screwed out of $12.50!

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff116861.htm

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff115126.htm

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff113628.htm

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff111743.htm

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff123900.htm

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff85622.htm



If college kids come to your door selling magazine subscriptions, just say no!

[thecoalman]

I never buy or donate to anyone that solicits me.... no exceptions.

[freestyler]

This has been goin on since the 80's at LEAST.

A buncha scammers goin on about money/points for "university" when they probably can't even spell the word...

If it's a buck or so I might buy a chocolate from legitimate-looking fund raiser, but a product that has to be ordered is an obvious red flag to me.

[smearbrick1]

Never trust a smiling girlscout. You never know what is hiding under that smock.

[tekkieman]

Never trust a smiling girlscout. You never know what is hiding under that smock.

You might not, but maybe some of us do.....

[thecoalman]

Never trust a smiling girlscout. You never know what is hiding under that smock.

You might not, but maybe some of us do.....

[Heywould3]

Never trust a smiling girlscout. You never know what is hiding under that smock.

You might not, but maybe some of us do.....

Oh really? Hmmm

[tekkieman]

Never trust a smiling girlscout. You never know what is hiding under that smock.

You might not, but maybe some of us do.....

Why do you think she was smiling???

[adam]

Does your invoice or subscription contract say that all sales are final and that you aren't entitled to a refund of your downpayment? If not then you can get your money back.

Their claim that there are unilaterally no refunds for sales of less then $25 is bogus. I know exactly which statute they are referring to and that is not what is says. I won't bore everyone with the details, but if refunds aren't prohibited under your contract then PM me and I can tell you exactly what to say to them to get your money back.

For the $24.95 package it wouldn't be worth suing in small claims court. You could get about $37.50 in damages and all your court and attorney's fees paid for. If you know anyone who bought the bigger package you could actually do quite a bit of damage to them as punitive damages might be applicable. This is one of those areas which is extremely ripe for punitive damages (they are ripping a whole lot of people off for a relatively small amount of money, thus they do it almost with impunity) and a court would be willing to grant a large award, not because you deserve the money but rather because its the only way to discourage their behavior.

[888888]

I never buy or donate to anyone that solicits me.... no exceptions.

Ditto.

Don't call me, I'll call you is my motto.

[JohnnyCNote]

This has been goin on since the 80's at LEAST.

A buncha scammers goin on about money/points for "university" when they probably can't even spell the word...

If it's a buck or so I might buy a chocolate from legitimate-looking fund raiser, but a product that has to be ordered is an obvious red flag to me.

It goes back way before the 80's:

Dragnet Episode Guide

14-"The Subscription Racket"
Air date: April 20, 1967
Brian Avery as Glenn Procustan
Marianne Gordon as Norma Brian
Jerry Dexter as himself
Doodles Weaver as Cliff Tate
Sarah Selby as Marilyn Tate
Larry D. Mann as Pete Benson
Art Balinger as Captain Nelson

Joe appears on a talk show hosted by Jerry Dexter (Himself) to talk about bunco schemes. After he leaves the set he's approached by a crew member (Doodles Weaver) whose wife is a victim of a magazines-subscription scam in Tarzana. As they visit Weaver's home they note code numbers, on the fence post, put there by con artists to signal the resident is good for a sale. They have trouble convincing Weaver's wife that she's a victim. She insists the man who came to her door, named Glenn Procustan, was a Marine, complete with a Medal of Honor. During record searches Friday and Gannon find out who the local entrepreneur is, Pete Benson; they also find a Procustan who is a Medal of Honor winner--but it was awarded posthumously. They meet Benson and warn him he's in trouble--but he also agrees to locate Procustan for them, and he makes good. They arrest this Procustan (the Medal of Honor winner's son) who was dishonorably discharged from the Marines--and his fiancee, though they both blame Benson. Gannon points out "Benson didn't give you that Medal of Honor to flash."

And I'm sure it's a lot older than that....

[JohnnyCNote]

I saw a story on this a while back:

Traveling Sales Crews The Silent Killer Of Teens and Young Adults

[AlecWest]

I never buy or donate to anyone that solicits me.... no exceptions.

Good policy. Too many scams out there. About 15 years ago, a young woman came to my door just before Christmas. She was selling these ornate bamboo calendars. On one side was the next year's calendar, on the other side was a neat-looking painted dragon. She told me she was a college student trying to earn money for her activities committee and they were only $5 each. So, since it was Christmastime, I figured I'd buy one for me and one to give to someone as a gift. I didn't have any cash on me so I asked if I could write a check. She said checks were OK and that I should make it out to W.U.C. (which I naturally assumed was her activities committee).

This was back in the days when some banks (like mine) still mailed customers back their cancelled checks each month. The next month, I was going through my cancelled checks and came upon the W.U.C. check I'd written. And when I turned it over to the back, I found out what it stood for:

World Unification Church (aka The Moonies, cult followers of the Reverend Sun Yung Moon)