Stop wasting my time calling the cops on me

[scroob]

I am a door-to-door sales rep. As per my boss we are required to go out and sell from 3-8 pm, which is the hours when most people are home. Now I realize that most of this time is in the dark. But if I knock on ur door, and do my pitch, and you say no, and I say "Ok, thank you and have a good night," then don't call the cops and say "someone was at my door asking me questions." OF COURSE I WAS!!!! That's my fucking job. How about instead of wasting the cops time, let them go after the real criminals. I am a salesman not an ax murderer!

[BowserKoopa1]

I know someone who is even more paranoid than that. He told me that if someone comes up to his front door and it is someone he doesn't know, he will answer the door holding a gun! I told him he'd be scaring the crap out of people doing things like that, and he said I was being "judgemental" He also told me a story about how some lady answered her door and was blown away by someone. He didn't even know her or where exactly where it happened.
Yeah, this guy is a paranoid freak in my opinion. People might just call the cops on him, even if they are on your property. I mean come on folks, if a little kid comes to your door selling candy, are you going to answer the door brandishing a gun? Um FYI, this is why windows and peepholes were invented.
As for people threatening to call the cops, let them. They'll be the ones who look like idiots when you explain to them that you were just doing your job. Now if you loiter around on their property, then I can totally understand where they would get nervous and call the cops.

[LillFilly]

Sigh. Remember the woman who sued the two girls for bringing their neighbors cookies one night, because she was scared that someone knocked on her door, and won? Sad sad sad.

[blas]

I am tempted to chase down the people from the payday loan stores who keep coming around these buildings and putting advertisements on our doorknobs and to beat them senseless with all of their doorknob hangers.

[Raveni]

How about instead of wasting the cops time, let them go after the real criminals. I am a salesman not an ax murderer!

Are you upset that they are wasting your time or the cops' time? Most every police department, though their neighborhood watch, tells people that this is suspicious activity. Anyone can pose as a salesman and check to see which homes are occupied, if the person answering the door is vulnerable, and what kind of goodies can be seen through the doorway once opened. A quick trip verifies that everything is legit, and they've got your ID on file just in case something happens later.

[taxguykarl]

I went through that crap every other day in my door-to-door days. Just have your license at ready. In the org I worked for then we considered selling to a cop a matter of pride--there were even weekly pools for the first one to pull off such a sale.

[Jarissa]

Most every police department, though their neighborhood watch, tells people that this is suspicious activity.

I have to second Raveni here. I'm sorry you suffer for someone else's poor behavior, Scroob, but we had the college-kid-magazine-sales type come through our neighborhood a few years ago, only once he was sure he'd found a quiet half-block and the cop neighbor was out on patrol, he set a house on fire.

The owner of the house was in it, she just hadn't felt like getting out of bed to answer the bell.

The only reason he was caught was that another of our neighbors has a webcam hidden on her porch in case her Alzheimers-inflicted grandmother wanders out there. They had a few images of him from when he gave his salespitch, before crossing the street. We gathered later on that this wasn't the first fire he'd set; he'd just limited himself previously to attacking his high school teachers' property.

So, yes, if you knock on my door, I'm taking your picture and calling the non-emergency dispatch to describe you. If you're legitimate, then your employer is supposed to have let the cops know that licensed door-to-door salesfolks will be in this general area during this time period, and the cops will just check to be sure you're one of said licensed folks. (And that you feel safe in the neighborhood, too.)

Stay safe, and make sure someone besides your driver knows where you're going to be, and get on friendly terms with the local PD in your sales area, wouldja? I'd rather you be around to tell stories, and not injured on the job or suspected of nefarious activities.

[PepperElf]

I went through that crap every other day in my door-to-door days. Just have your license at ready. In the org I worked for then we considered selling to a cop a matter of pride--there were even weekly pools for the first one to pull off such a sale.

how often did that happen? selling to the cops that showed up? (it definitely sounds like a win though)

[MoonCat]

We had a warning around here a couple of years ago that a guy was casing houses by knocking on doors, or ringing doorbells, and giving some line of bull if someone answered (I can't remember if he claimed to be selling something, taking a survey, or what). If no one answered, he would go around to the back of the house and try to break in through a window. There was a description of the guy in the paper, so we knew what to watch out for. Stuff like that gives legit salespeople a bad name.

[Librarybabe]

My town requires itinerant (i.e. door-to-door) commercial vendors (not cookie-pushing girl scouts or popcorn pimpin' cub scouts)to get a permit ($30, which covers all their employees for 30 days). One company (the ridiculously overpriced vacuum cleaner people) has p.o.'ed so many residents, that they will never be issued a permit ever again. If called, the police WILL respond, WILL take the offending salesperson into custody, and they AND THE COMPANY will be given an appearance ticket for court. The COMPANY is fined $1000 each time one of their crew is apprehended.

[Mystic]

We had some guy coming around our neighbourhood about a month or so ago selling magazines. Seemed very dodgy to be because this is also a very common scam... they take your money and you never see a magazine in the mail. We told him we weren't interested and I started calling neighbours to inform them.

I understand it's a job, but in today's age when we're bombarded with sales every time we leave the house and on TV, the last thing I want is someone coming to my door trying to sell me things. Especially with the amount of scamming people that goes on in that sort of business. Stay off my grass!

[protege]

We don't get many door-to-door salespeople now. Some of it is because of the scammers, the rest...because of the crackheads from the local housing complex.

What's that, you ask? Simply put, they'd wander over into the neighborhood, and try to guilt people into letting them come inside because of the cold. Once inside, they'd rob the occupants Now, unless you're a friend or neighbor, many people won't open the doors.

[ralerin]

Might've mentioned it before, but here goes.

Back in the 70's, my dad was one of those traveling salesmen. He knocked on the door and the woman invited him into her house to go make a phonecall. Dad stayed in the house for two seconds and said, "You know what, I'll be leaving."

When he came out, two policemen were on him with their guns drawn. Dad just about crapped his pants until the police chief, said, "It's one of those damn salesmen. Get outta here."

Turns out the house he had gone into WAS the police chief's house. .

*

A couple weeks ago I had two guys knock on my door, dressed rather sketchy to begin with, and made up a story about wanting gas. I told them no way and they left. Um, I was in the house alone, curtains drawn, dogs were freaking out. No way I was going to let them in even if it was legit.

[blas]

These stories are scary. Not too long ago, on a summer day, two college guys came through the neighborhood trying to sell magazines so they could go to on spring break....now that I think about it, it wasn't just stupid college kids after money, they just wanted to scam the hell out of people!

You gotta admit, most door to door stuff now is very sketchy. It's an easy way to size up someone's security and belongings. Too many people have turned it into a robbery spree. I don't want anyone coming to my door to tell stuff.

[taxguykarl]

how often did that happen? selling to the cops that showed up? (it definitely sounds like a win though)

First of all this was back in the '80's--in the midst of the missing child hysteria. (At the risk of going into Fratching territory: If you were to check the DOB's on the kids publicized at the time, they were my age or older more often than not).

To answer your query: I had a cop called on me about twice a week on average--good thing that was only a summer job.