Doorstep scams: Has anyone offered to wash your carpets?

[JSal]

The other day a guy came to the door giving out tickets "which would be put into a prize draw" saying that they were to advertise a service (something to do with cars) and took my phone number, saying it would be used if I won something. I know I shouldn't have given him it, but still.

I was rung up today by a woman saying that I would still be entered into a prize draw in December, but meanwhile I had won a professional carpet clean for one room in my house. Without time to think (and having dirty carpets), I accepted.

I am now feeling like it's all incredibly dodgy. They are coming tomorrow, and I am convinced they will check out my home security, or use distraction techniques etc. Who works on a Sunday, anyway?

What do people think about this, has anyone had a similar experience?

[Vrsaljko]

Sounds dodgy. If I were you I'd not answer the door tomorrow.

[Missbrum]

Hi,

 

We had exactly the same a few months back.

 

Won a free carpet clean and since we'd just moved in and the carpets needed doing we decided to have it done, but they never turned up to do them, on a Sunday aswell.

 

They called back a few days later to re-arrange and guess what.. they never turned up again. They called back a few more times to re-arrange but we refused.

 

If they do turn up, they'll clean your carpet then probably try to sell you the cleaner.

[clogginchris]

They'll clean your carpet - or at least part of it, and give you a huge hard sell for the cleaner - which will be enormously expensive. It's a well known scam. They're incredibly persistent and difficult to get rid of.

[clogginchris]

Oh, and more than likely, it will be a Kirby they are trying to sell you. Loads of horror stories about them if you google. You will expecting a free carpet clean - they will be trying to sell you several hundreds pounds worth of vacuum cleaner. It took me over three hours to get rid of them a few years ago when I fell for the free prize draw scam. Good luck!

[Don_Kiddick]

They'll clean your carpet - or at least part of it, and give you a huge hard sell for the cleaner - which will be enormously expensive. It's a well known scam. They're incredibly persistent and difficult to get rid of.

 

We had 2 buffoons try this on us a good 10 years ago in the last house.

 

As soon as they started the sales pitch & stated the price of the vaccuum I burst out laughing at them & said "right you'd better go because you've just wasted one of my 2 precious days off" Then I stopped laughing.

 

Then they left.

 

Losers

[madowl]

i dont care what scam it is, the rule is if you didnt ask them to come to your home as a sales rep... tell them to bog off!! these people av the gift of the gab, they are Professional fraudsters always looking for opportunities - & its not always the elderly and the vulnerable that get made a fool of!!

 

DONT LET THEM IN!!

[lyndix]

Oh, and more than likely, it will be a Kirby they are trying to sell you. Loads of horror stories about them if you google. You will expecting a free carpet clean - they will be trying to sell you several hundreds pounds worth of vacuum cleaner. It took me over three hours to get rid of them a few years ago when I fell for the free prize draw scam. Good luck!

 

Several years ago I went for a job interview with this company(selling cleaners in this way), and was astounded by the hard sell they put on customers. Once you get em in your house they won`t leave till you sign the dotted line(for very overpriced machines)or physically throw them out.

[andco]

Same applies to anyone - a good few years ago, I had someone come to my door wanting to sharpen kitchen knives and a friend of mine hit the roof because it was just a common scam to check whether anyone was in. Now if anyone rings the door bell I only go to the door if it's been previously arranged.

[Nutbrown]

I'll clean your carpets.... just write your name here.....

I'm only messing don't worry.