Preying on Old People

I never buy from anyone trying to sell. If I want to buy something, I search for it and buy it. I detest people coming to my door. Yesterday, I noticed someone out of the corner of my eye coming to my front porch. He had the same hat as my letter carrier. So, when there was a knock on the door, I answered. It was a 40-something man offering free roof replacement estimates. Since my roof is about 25 years old, I listened. But, I don't buy from people selling so I told him I wasn't interested. Then he asked me to help out and just get a free estimate. I relented and gave him the info he wanted, name, phone, address and if I would be available tomorrow (today) at 10 for the estimate. Then he called someone and gave them the info then handed me the phone to confirm. The guy on the phone started asking the same questions he was already told and then asked if I live alone. I told him: "Way too may questions for a free estimate!". He kept trying to ask questions. I finally said: "I've agreed to an appt at 10am tomorrow, if that's not enough for you, forget it!" and gave the phone back. Today, at 8:30 I get a call and the questions started again. I told that guy: "I'm already uneasy about the questions yesterday, either keep the appointment on not!". He tried again to ask questions! I cut him off, told him the appt is cancelled, and if anyone related to the company attempts to call or visit, I will call the police!

Even if I had kept the appt I would not have bought, but I can easily see old people getting screwed. The old lady (10 years older than me) that used to live next door was often a target, but she would call me, and I would run them off.

In retrospect, there is no need for anyone to visit to "measure" for an estimate - you can see the roof via Google and you can easily measure it from the street or satellite. I know this because last year I got an unsolicited estimate for installing solar and they had the dimensions perfect without ever stepping on my property.

I suspect that I will now be a target of this sort of thing - they are wasting their time!

And there I was, thinking this thread would be about someone kneeling on an old person praying to their god(s)!

Tornado said:

And there I was, thinking this thread would be about someone kneeling on an old person praying to their god(s)!

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Me making yet another typo was a figment of your imagination

Had you kept the appointment, a hard closer would have come and started very high and then worked on you for hours.
You would have had to throw him/her out of your house. It would have not been pleasant.

MichaelB said:

Had you kept the appointment, a hard closer would have come and started very high and then worked on you for hours.
You would have had to throw him/her out of your house. It would have not been pleasant.

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Trust me, they would be thrown out if they did more than hand me an estimate! I may be old, but I can be pretty hardheaded and scary.

MichaelB said:

Had you kept the appointment, a hard closer would have come and started very high and then worked on you for hours.
You would have had to throw him/her out of your house. It would have not been pleasant.

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I went out one Saturday morning and when I came home, there was one of those bastards in my kitchen. He had got past my wife. My first instinct was to bounce him and chuck him out, but I was due to have and eye operation on the following Monday, and I had been waiting a year for it. If I had a go at him, it might have involved a brawl, and I really needed the operation. We agreed to let him clean the roof, and he got up us for a bit too much. I went to the police, and the outcome was - no crime had been committed.
I live in north-east Victoria, and he is a red-headed Pommie with a Geordie accent

These roof scammers have been around for sometime in Aus, they pick the older people and then screw them for as much as they can, they throw a baited line out and see who they hook, if they get up on the roof they always find more major damage that needs urgent repairs and ask for 1/2 the money before any work gets done, of course the work never get done and they are gone, they seem to travel far and wide pulling in the old and frail.
So many come on Current affairs shows telling their stories of being ripped off by these scum bags, I have had them trying to get in my front gate for jobs, but my dogs are good at their job, I always walk out and ask if "your are selling something I am not interested, if you are asking to do repairs on my house, not interested, if you are a tree looper, asking to trim my trees, I have none", they never get in my front gate at all.
My gas hot water system gave up the ghost and was thinking of installing a solar hot water system as I have solar panels on my roof there is a major solar installing company called Solar Guard they are on TV and always have pamphlets in the mail box so I contacted them for a price, the salesman came around but his prices were way to high and they wouldn't install it where I wanted installed where it would get the sun from early morning to late afternoon, but the thing was I couldn't get rid of the prick even after I told him I think about it, for an hour or more he tried his hardest for me to buy, I soon told him "time to leave mate", then I called the dogs", 2 cattle dogs, he soon got the hint his welcome had gone, I ended up replacing with a new gas system for less than 1/4 of the price of the solar system.
Here it is now illegal for salespeople to come to your house without permission, but they keep on trying.

Ashley

My Beware of Dogs sign is the first warning. The dogs are the second

Anyone seen this movie?


I liked it...

perhaps a sign like this would help

My son has "All solicitors will be given a Book of Mormon" sign at his front door.

Probably an "All solicitors will be indoctrinated into Mormonism" sign would be more effective...

MichaelB said:

Anyone seen this movie?

The Beekeeper (2024 film) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I liked it...

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Yes, quite good. But then, most of his are!

Here in Sweden, scammers visiting old people still exists, but are becoming an endangered species. By using phones or the net, scammers can avoid healthy walks and fresh air.
Just a few gangs from eastern Europe and occasional social workers stealing,

I greet them at the door and I make myself quite clear. I do not buy products or services from people who canvas my neighborhood. I have no sympathy. It's my property. The decisions I make are mine and if the last few years are any indication I have lost any faith I ever had in the kindness of strangers.

My big pet peeve is "free estimates". Like some companies get paid to give you an estimate?

Big_Jim59 said:

I greet them at the door and I make myself quite clear. I do not buy products or services from people who canvas my neighborhood. I have no sympathy. It's my property. The decisions I make are mine and if the last few years are any indication I have lost any faith I ever had in the kindness of strangers.

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The problem with letting them near your front door as some are just cussing whether someone is home or not or if any dogs are around, I had a scruffy looking lad trying to get in my front gate once and when I asked him what he wanted he said he was a tree lopper looking for work, I said "can you see any trees" and no work truck to be seen, as I don't have any so got to be on your toes all the time, put a sign on your front gate "no salesmen" my front gate make a noise when someone is trying to workout the latch but it's an easy latch set up and once the dogs hear that latch they do their job in letting me know someone is at the front gate.
But they are also looking for the old and frail to make a quick buck or to rip them off, happen way too much.

At the moment in Australia youth crime is a major problem they are breaking into houses in a group armed with knives and machetes looking for car keys and what ever they can get their hands on no matter if you are home or not or in the wee hours when everyone is asleep and they are not afraid to use violence if fronted, stealing luxury and hi performance cars are on their list, they aren't afraid of cameras or being seen see it every night on the news.

So it's not only scammers you got to look out for but crimes looking for an easy target.

Ashley

ashman said:

At the moment in Australia youth crime is a major problem they are breaking into houses in a group armed with knives and machetes looking for car keys and what ever they can get their hands on no matter if you are home or not or in the wee hours when everyone is asleep and they are not afraid to use violence if fronted, stealing luxury and hi performance cars are on their list, they aren't afraid of cameras or being seen see it every night on the news.

So it's not only scammers you got to look out for but crimes looking for an easy target.

Ashley

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Good to know but this is Texas. Busting into someone's home is very very hazardous for your health. Even if someone is home it's probably not going to be an easy target.

Big_Jim59 said:

Good to know but this is Texas. Busting into someone's home is very very hazardous for your health. Even if someone is home it's probably not going to be an easy target.

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We have very strict gun laws after the Port Authur mad man killed people and we have very few deaths from guns only outlaw bikies and mobsters getting killed by guns here, but we have rules where due force can be used to protect your home but these youths are coming in with numbers and they have someone waiting out side in another stolen hi performance get away car, they just don't care, but the police have set up special task force to catch these young offenders but our big problem is the courts keep letting them out on bail too the frustration of the police and property owners who have been hit hard.
My way of thinking is let the police shoot a few and they soon get the message but some of these gangs are kids as young as 12 and no more than 18, then you get the goody two shoes saying "they are kids, you can't lock kids up" alright for them to come out with that as they have never been broken into by these kids, I say do the crime do the time as adults, they know they are doing wrong.

Big_Jim59 said:

Good to know but this is Texas. Busting into someone's home is very very hazardous for your health. Even if someone is home it's probably not going to be an easy target.

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In Texas, busting into someone's home is much more likely to be a suicide mission.

I'm going to risk going SLIGHTLY off-topic and mention one of the latest evils that affects ALL ages - Walking along a peaceful sidewalk and WHAM! Somebody punches your lights out, just to get a TicTok video.

I really think those people should be sent STRAIGHT TO PRISON. 1 year minimum, more years depending on the severity of the injuries they cause. 5 minute court hearing, NO EXCEPTIONS.