Salesmen, Inspectors, and Panhandlers Protecting Our Elderly Loved Ones from Scammers
/Dishonest people come in all forms. They know old-fashioned techniques are easy to put into play to scam their way into your pockets and home. Salesmen and inspectors are two scammers the elderly have to be aware of while at home during the day. People shouldn’t have to not open the door when the bell rings, but with the evil that lurks around, we have to be cautious. While out in the yard working, we have to be alert to who is around and comes on our property.
Salesmen, Inspectors, and Panhandlers
Protecting Our Elderly Loved Ones from Scammers
Salesmen: these are the guys with meats, jugs of cleaning solutions, and anything they know will spark an interest in someone.
While there are some reputable meat salesmen, there are others who are not. Know what meat company they are a contractor for. Do they have paperwork to show they are contracted with them? Are they giving a guarantee? Will you be able to contact the company if you are not satisfied? What are the methods of payment accepted? If cash is the only option – CLOSE THE DOOR! If there is no paper trail with a check or a credit card, there will probably be no guarantee if something is wrong with the meat. **You never know the process of how that meat was obtained. Did it come straight from the company, or was there a middleman somewhere along the way. There’s also the possibility of the meat being thawed out and then refrozen. - You just never know!
There are some awesome pitches from cleaning salesmen but what exactly is in the jug? When you allow someone into your home with bags and jugs of cleaner, you don’t exactly know if that person or any bag is fitted with a camera to scope out your house. That cleaner you buy, is it the very same cleaner in the bottle the salesman is using? - You never know!
Inspectors:
There are lots of “inspectors” out there today.
• Satellite companies DO NOT send an inspector to check your box or satellite.
• Telephone companies DO NOT send an inspector to check the phone lines or phone jacks.
• Water and Gas companies DO NOT send an inspector to check the lines.
• Insurance companies DO NOT send an inspector to check trees or roofs.
There have been reports when the elderly are working in the yard when an “inspector” confronts them about trees on the lines, a fence, or etc. While distracting them, an accomplice enters the home and robs it without the owner knowing it until it’s too late.
If you’ve not called to report a problem, a company is not sending anyone without your consent.
Once you’ve given access to inside your home, you’ve opened the door to allowing yourself fall victim to theft.
Even if you have no soliciting or no trespassing signs up, sometimes they won’t stop a scammer.
Be decisive with your “NO”! Let no one inside of or on top of your house. Never ever!
Panhandlers:
These are in the top 5 of my pet peeves list. While there are many homeless people who need help, there are just as many folks who need help to make ends meet. Then there are those who are just plain lazy and found a way to make money without having a real job and to pay taxes. When I see a panhandler on the side of the road or walking through a parking lot, can you guess which ones I think of first?
For the past 13 years, our family sacrificed a lot for me to be at home teaching my son. Because of that, we do not give to anyone asking for a handout, no matter what the circumstance is.
While some will look at my reasoning as wrong (I’ve been told that I’m not Christ-like or compassionate enough for others to give even if the receiver is claiming to need the money when they don’t. If they take it and don’t need it, it’s on them, but it is on me for not giving)
I don’t give because I am accountable for what God has given us and only if He shows me to give (which He hasn’t), I won’t be giving. I will not be part of ENABLING a scammer to take money from hard-working people.
There are ways to support the homeless and needy without giving them money if you are not led to give. Support the homeless shelters by shopping their thrift stores. We support a homeless shelter in the Atlanta area that is run by a church. Add the extra few cents on your utility bills each month if they collect for the needy.
We had an elderly neighbor in the past who would not just give out money to local people when in need. The person had to work for him around his house and then taken to the grocery store, gas station, or to the utility company. I loved the way this neighbor thought!
Resources:
Door to Door Scams: The Better Business Bureau Warns Consumers Prepare to Say No!
Scamming AT&T Door to Door Salesmen – even legitimate companies are caught in a scam ring.
If you've missed any part of this series, can find all the links here.
