I need some advice

3xsthefun wrote: I had a guy that came to my home a few weeks ago saying he was from the Southwestern Company. He was wanting to sell me student handbooks and study and reference guides.

I let him talk to me and the kids out on the front deck. He talked for about 20 mins max. He told me he was a college student from Arizona and that was his summer job.
He was even wearing a Arizona tshirt.

I have to tell you this guy really gave me the creeps. He seemed like a scam artist to me. He would say "cool huh" after telling me about different parts of the study guide.

Well I had to get up and go after Ryan. Yes he ran down in the yard and I could not see him. The guy got up and left little after that. I noticed the car he was driving had Illinois tags and not Arizona red flags went off right then. I didn't think to write down the tag # now I wish I had.

My husband was reading our local paper today and guess what. There is a article written up about this guy. He said he wanted to clear his name because he heard rumors about a scam artist traveling around the county and claiming to sell school books.

They have a link to the company he works for and everything. But guess what the paper says he is a college student from New Mexico and not Arizona. So apparently this guy is lying to someone. Because he did not say he was a college student from New Mexico. He told me he was a college student from Arizona.

Oh and guess what I looked him up on Facebook and he has his hometown as Roswell, New Mexico. But he is currently staying with family here in WV.

I don't know what to do. Should I just let it be or should I go to the paper and tell them what I know?

boyohboyohboy replied: I think I would report it to the police, and ask them if you should report it to the paper..
Do I understand it right , that the article in the newspaper was in favor of the man and that it was to prove he was legit.?
If so then I guess I would call the author of the article from the newspaper and say what you know.

we have these guys that walk around our neighborhood in the summer and try to sell things saying its for college credits and I dont ever let them come in or talk to them. My neighbors are always scammed by them.

good luck.

coasterqueen replied: Go to the police! I'd also wonder why he has IL plates if he's from Mexico. Maybe he's done something to someone in IL. I'm from IL . I hope he just stole the car and didn't harm anyone. I'd definitely call the police and let them know.

3xsthefun replied: Yes, the paper claims that he is legit.

I did look at the company he is suppose to be working and he does work for them.
But the info he told me was totally different then what was in the paper.

What I don't understand if he is from Arizona or heck New Mexico. Why is he driving around in a car with Illinois licence plates.

Rob said I should write a letter to the editor. But I don't know if it would do any good.
Also I'm not that good at writing letters and and have no idea how to start it.

3xsthefun replied: Oh, great thanks Karen you have me freaked out again.

I think I will have Rob call his friend that is a cop and maybe see if he could check it out.

I just don't want to make a big deal out of something that is not.

coasterqueen replied:
Sorry to freak you out. I just think it's very odd that he has a car w/different plates. I mean, he could have bought the car in IL and hasn't transferred the plates over yet, but it just seems very weird someone with a similar story. If I knew someone in the police department, I'd definitely ask them. JMO, though.

3xsthefun replied: I think I might just call Rob's friend myself and see what he says. I just don't want to call the police and they think I am a crazy person.

jcc64 replied:

Maybe it's a rental car? Maybe he moved and didn't transfer the plates? Maybe it's his parents' car and they live in another state? The people that live next door to me have Florida plates b/c they lived there a few years back and never bothered to switch their plates back to NY. Could be any number of possibilities. I wouldn't allow him, or any stranger, into my home, but beyond that, I wouldn't lose sleep over it. When it comes to unsolicited solicitors, I'm always suspicious, but not to the point that I'd involve the police unless he actually got some of my money or personal info or wouldn't go away.

3xsthefun replied: I already talked to Rob's friend. He told me this guy is probably legit.
I feel stupid about calling now he said he can't check him out himself because he will be gone for a month. He said he is going have a state trooper call and talk to me.

He did say this guy could be driving a rental car. I guess I never really thought of that.

No, I did not give this guy any money. But his story still does not add up.

Maybe I should have not even called Robs friend. I guess I just reacted to quickly.

3xsthefun replied: I wish I had never called now. Because the guy probably is real thing. It still don't make sense to me why he told me he is college student from Arizona. But he told the paper he is college student in New Mexico.

I doubt if the state trooper will do anything.

coasterqueen replied: Seriously, why are you wishing you wouldn't have called? What's the big deal? We do that kind of thing all the time around here when we get "suspicious" people out in our neck of the woods, but I guess it's not such a big deal as my boss just calls his buddies who are state troopers. There is nothing wrong with just making sure people are who they say they are. If they can't understand it, that's their issue. If I have a weird feeling that something may not be right, then I feel it's better to act on it. He might not have done anything to you, but what if he did to someone else, or someone else's child? If you called to make sure I was legit I wouldn't be upset - maybe because I'd understand there are crazies in this world and you can't be too careful. I mean, didn't you say you live far out in the boonies? Sort of like me? I would DEFINITELY question someone coming and trying to sell me something even out where I live. We don't get too many door-to-door salesmen out in our area. I can't even think of more than ONE in the 18+ years I've lived in the country. I've gotten 1 Jehovah Witness person, and a handful of kids from the school district selling stuff, but that's normal.

I dunno. I think you have to look at it for the area you live in, IMO. So he might have rented a car, there are a 100 possibilities it could be, but it could also be that ONE possibility that might be the bad one and well, I know I'd feel better checking on someone than wishing I did when I hear they could have done something bad.

I'm not a paranoid person in the least bit, but if I have a hunch I act on it. It's never hurt anyone to act on them. It usually does when I don't. You obviously had a "hunch" enough to come here and ask.

3xsthefun replied: I guess I don't want people think I'm going call the cops every time I see a sales person. But you are right we sort of do live out in the boonies and we do not get very many sales people here at all. Heck I think the last sales person we had here was 2 yrs ago and they were selling meat.

I also don't want people thinking I'm jumping the gun here so to speak. I do worry because the guy knows where we live and does know my first name. He could come back later and try to rob us or even try to attack us. I don't think we have anything he would want. But you just never know about people.

I don't want the cops to think I'm some crazy person either and wasting tax payers money. That is one reason I called Rob's friend since he is a cop to see what he thought.
He said he would have helped me more if he wasn't going out of the state for a month.

I guess I will just have to wait and see if the state trooper that he was going talk to will call me back.

Yes, sometimes I am to much of a worry wort and over think things. But I'd rather be careful then sorry. I would hate this guy done something to someone and I hadn't said anything.

~Roo'sMama~ replied: I don't think you did anything wrong by calling your husband's friend. If the state trooper calls you, just tell him your concerns and don't try to downplay it. The inconsistencies with his story would raise red flags for me too. I wouldn't worry too much about it though since you didn't give him any money ~ if he isn't legit the worst he wanted to do probably was to scam you. But it's better to be safe than sorry. If I were you I would probably just be careful for a while - keep a close eye on the kids when you're outside and keep the doors locked when you're in the house.

3xsthefun replied: Thanks for thinking I did nothing wrong calling Rob's friend. I have not heard any thing from the state trooper.

I'm not going lose sleep over it. If they decide to do a check on this guy they will.

I just hope he is not really a scam artist and ends up scamming someone.