Door-to-door solicitor alert

Just in from WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli:

My neighborhood near the Junction (4500 block of 41st between Alaska and Oregon) was canvassed about 5pm this afternoon by a shady door to door solicitor. The young woman said she was from “American National” and when I asked for ID she produced only a few pages of cheaply laminated materials. She claimed she was fundraising for youth leadership. When I asked for ID or a business card she said that she didn’t have any but that her “van handler” did. I asked her to leave and immediately called the SPD non-emergency number. They took a description and thanked me for filing the report.

Remember, solicitors have to have licenses and ID. Here’s the city code. ADDED 9:23 PM: Christopher also got a photo of the solicitor, zooming in on a subsequent stop she made down the block. Click for the pic:

DALYDBL April 2, 2008 (7:29 pm)

A young man came to our door this afternoon too. He beat on the door with incredible force, and was soliciting magazines. As soon as my dog stuck his nose out the front door, this guy took off running faster than I’ve ever seen anyone go down the flight of stairs to the street. We live in the 4100 block of 38th between Dakota and Genessee. I’ll call the SPD hotling. Thanks for the info WSB.

changingtimes April 2, 2008 (9:01 pm)

scary!! that is my neighborhood!!! i feel safe because of the churchs so nearby and alot of activity throughout the night with them, they have cleaners from like 11pm-2am i have seen sometimes, but i think we should start a junction block watch type program, if anyone in intreasted??

Huindekmi April 2, 2008 (9:49 pm)

Not every unlicensed solicitor is casing your house to rob it. Some are just scam artists.

Jana April 2, 2008 (9:57 pm)

We had a guy solicitor come to our door yesterday around 5pm or so and we live on 4500 block of 40th between Alaska and Oregon. He was trying convince us that we needed to replace our windows etc. He seemed legit but we told him we didn’t own the house and so that was the end of that. Wish I would have know to ask for his Lic. and Id. Oh well. Thanks for posting this!

marty April 3, 2008 (8:02 am)

Sure would be nice to add a law to stop door-to-door sales. I can’t think of a single thing I would ever buy that way. It just makes for a convenient excuse for burglars to case our houses.

BGH April 3, 2008 (8:24 am)

I have a policy that I do not purchase anything from someone wearing pajamas.

pigeonmom April 3, 2008 (8:43 am)

BGH-LOL

EricaK April 3, 2008 (8:47 am)

changingtimes . . . come to the next JuNO meeting on May 13th. We haven’t had luck finding anyone to lead a blockwatch, but we are happy to use our email list and membership to help get folks involved. Feel free to contact me directly at erica@wsjuno.com.

Danno April 3, 2008 (8:50 am)

BTW-

That is the same MO as the kid who canvassed our neighborhood shortly followed by a number of break-ins. There is no coincidence that the burglaries reported above on WSB are also in the same general area.

Be aware and call the Police for any unusual activity.

Jane W. April 3, 2008 (10:08 am)

I had a similar experience yesterday at our house on Genesee between Andover and Dakota. A young man with the same type of laminated (bogus) ID was trying to sell magazine subscriptions/resubscriptions or alteratively a “donation” to Children’s Hospital under the guise of a youth leadership program. My dogs and I were on an upper deck and I spoke to him from there – he was pleasant enough but these folks have been around before and they are just trying to scam you out of money – he commented on what a nice home we had (was he scoping it out? – glad I work at home and have dogs)- I thanked him and politely declined any of his offers and sent him on his merry way. Would be nice to see these guys out of the neighborhoods. I generally don’t buy anything from people coming to my door unless they are kids I know selling girl scout cookies etc!

herongrrrl April 3, 2008 (10:24 am)

Young person of color=”shady” solicitor, and it’s OK to post a picture? WSB, I know you folks were in the media biz before so I trust you know your stuff in this regard, but couldn’t that be construed as slander?

I don’t doubt that there are folks out there who are using the door-to-door deal as a means of casing neighborhoods or scamming people. But over the years I’ve also had several people come to my door with a bundle of laminated papers claiming they are selling magazines, I tell them no thank you, they go about their business, and there are no further issues.

All the reports of burglaries in the area make me nervous too, and I live in a particularly vulnerable spot. But let’s not get carried away about this, please? Sometimes a solicitor is just a solicitor.

Andrea April 3, 2008 (11:05 am)

I saw the same girl yesterday near the mini-mart on California and Andover at approximately 7pm as I was trying to cross California…I had to slam on my brakes to avoid hitting her as she was shuffling herself across the street as slowly as she possibly could, all the while sucking on a lollipop…I thought how odd it was that she was wearing pajamas and slippers outside to the store…I didn’t realize she was actually trying to make an impression as a ‘salesperson’ also!

WSB April 3, 2008 (11:10 am)

Herongrrl, short answer, no. There wouldn’t be a problem here if they had the city-required license and ID, which the rules I linked to clearly state must be in the possession of the person at all times. I will tell you that I felt a little hinky about publishing the photo. Same thing as the discussion we had here some weeks back when I explained that in my old-media days I lobbied to keep race out of suspect descriptions unless there were many other details from eye color to hair style to clothing. I am currently siding on the “more information, not less” side of the fence but am always interested in thoughts and opinions … in discussing it with Christopher, he noted that these are adults working in a clearly public place and fair game for photography. But I also have exhorted here, we can’t assume all solicitors are up to no good (and some comments have told me I’m naive!!!).

B.B.B. April 3, 2008 (11:13 am)

We have had several of these “solicitors” over the past month (Hamilton View Point neighborhood). Question; would the installation of a very visible “NO SOLICITORS” sign be any kind of a deterrent or, are such things ignored as a matter of course?

angelescrest April 3, 2008 (11:47 am)

Two guys within a half an hour of each other @5:00 p.m., Alki, 64th and Admiral…They appeared carrying nothing. I don’t know what they wanted, and I was too busy to find out. I will add that when I told the first one (who began his pitch) that we’d just gotten home from the hospital (chronic illness w/child) he quickly stopped–mid-speech–and said, “Well, God bless you…”and left, which I thought was sweet and appropriate.

WSB April 3, 2008 (12:42 pm)

BBB, they might be ignored BUT anyone who does is breaking city law (per the code we linked to) and theoretically open to citation.

marty April 3, 2008 (1:46 pm)

Herongrrrl: You should be proud of being sooooo politically correct. Playing the race card was not needed. A picture of the person was 100% accurate ans she is what she is. I’m sure you wouldn’t have had a problem with it if she was white.

mjc April 3, 2008 (3:30 pm)

Another great example of the WSB going a little over-board with what *might* be criminal activity. I think WSB is trying to provide a good service but instead WSB is just fueling a fear factor in our neighborhood. Yes, it is a good idea to be aware, but it isn’t good when people get scared for less than a good reason. Be careful of what your report.

m April 3, 2008 (3:42 pm)

If someone felt it was suspicious enough to call the police, than what’s the big deal about posting it on WSB? I’m glad to see these updates and alerts on crime in WS- I’d rather be aware than ignorant of it.

KM April 3, 2008 (4:01 pm)

“A picture of the person was 100% accurate ans she is what she is.”

Yep. I for one appreciate the photo and the side of more, than less, information; it’s irrelevant to me if the person is black, white or green.

“Another great example of the WSB going a little over-board with what *might* be criminal activity.”

The WSB also posted that the law is any solicitors have to have city licenses and ID. If they don’t, what do you honestly think the odds are the person is legitimate?

I appreciate the heads up posts about instances like this, and my personal opinion is that solicitations like these are *likely* criminal activity. I’m sure many will disagree with me on that, and that’s A-OK.

From the young woman’s dress, her answers to questions and the generic company name and printed materials she was equipped with, I would bet money that the “van handler” she referred to is the same sort of thug controller/handler mentioned in this NY Times expose about the roving “magazine crews”. I think this has been posted on WSB blog before, but it’s really something to read and be aware of.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/21/us/21magcrew.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin

There is also a clearinghouse site of reports and info on door to door scams, mostly magazines and solicitations, with additional links to many published articles in the media about the scope of these problems:

http://www.travelingsalescrews.info/magazine%20scams%20and%20rip%20offs.html

If they are not casing your house, or using your written checks to leverage identity theft, too many of these young people are being abused, threatened, mistreated by the organizations that create these “door to door crews” and that in itself is certainly “criminal activity.” The kids didn’t get this bright idea to go door to door, and they didn’t *all* go laminate some generic sales text at Kinkos on their own…

I called Children’s Hospital today and asked if they ever orchestrate door to door campaigns. Their response was an emphatic NO, we do not then they mentioned they’ve received a couple calls in the last week asking verification of it, so apparently their name is currently being used in door to door fund raising scams. They would appreciate being contacted with details, location, descriptions, etc., as well.

It does make me sad that times have changed but this is 2008, not 1958 and the odds of “sometimes a solicitor is just a solicitor” are really getting long. I no longer answer the door to any stranger when I was not expecting visitors. As a single female, living alone, I’m not comfortable giving any stranger on my porch the “benefit of the doubt.” From research I’ve done, it seems like the case these days is not “a few bad apples” ruining it for the door to door industry, it’s that the good apples are now a small fraction.

It’s not worth risking my personal safety, or dealing with identity theft because I wrote a check for a magazine subscription (which would have been cheaper if ordered directly from the publisher anyway).

Does this make me all knotted up with fear and gloom? Nope. For me, it is what it is and just one tiny facet of modern, city life.

If kids are with their parents outside a store selling something or soliciting donations, I do occasionally support them. Thin Mints? Yessssss!

Erik April 3, 2008 (7:07 pm)

I don’t know who the sales people are more afraid of, me or my dog?

snowlion April 3, 2008 (7:11 pm)

DALYDBL – that aggressive knocking thing is exactly what happened to me. It is especially difficult because we have had our door kicked as well, though by kids. And you know what? ALL the offenders were African-American. Sorry, everyone, I’m going to say it. If they were white, I’d mention that, too; BUT THEY WEREN’T.
I see no problem in calling out race. At all. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – it is a shame that people in this city are so afraid to speak the truth of the matter because they think they’ll be labeled as “racists”. Sorry, I don’t have that fear. Race will ALWAYS be mentioned, because it is a descriptor. I don’t understand why it automatically means that someone is racist – why can’t it simply mean what it means: that there are non-whites who sometimes act suspiciously, and they are currently doing so in our neighborhood. You don’t have to be afraid, but you SHOULD be aware. Living in a large city, anything else is naive.

Jana April 4, 2008 (12:33 am)

“Question; would the installation of a very visible â€œNO SOLICITORSâ€ sign be any kind of a deterrent or, are such things ignored as a matter of course?” -B.B.B.

No, they are not a deterrent, the signs are in fact the opposite. My husband had a short term job doing door to door sales and they encouraged him to go to the places that said “no solicitors.” Their reason being that those with signs were softies and usually ended up buying into whatever was being sold, more so than those who did not have signs.

Not sure what the law is on ignoring those signs… Anyone know? I suppose iy can give you a good reason to get your shot gun ready. :) Just kidding.

Christopher Boffoli April 4, 2008 (8:50 am)

For the record, my submitting this report and photo to the WSB editors was not racially motivated. Two young white men came to my door last year with their magazine scam and I immediately alterted the police to their activities as soon as they left. Whether coincidental or not there was a burglary attempt on my house in the days immediately after that visit. And my neighbor’s house was burglarized (and their car stolen) in the middle of the night as they slept upstairs. It was not my intention to be alarmist, just to send out a word of warning. So often these door-to-door scam artists disappear before the police have a chance to come over and look for them. In this case I had a camera sitting right beside me and thought I’d grab a photo (on a public street where it is legal and there is no reasonable expectation of privacy). The WSB editors were professional, cautious and thoughtful (as ever) in our discussion about posting the photograph. In the end I believe they made the right decision. As to those suggesting their action was slanderous, I think you mean libelous, which is the written form of slander, and I totally disagree. This was NOT libel as there was no malice in this report. The truth is the most solid form of libel defense. This young woman came to my door and, without identification or a City license, illegally attempted to solicit money from me by lying about fundraising for youth leadership. Not only did she obviously try to take advantage of my kindness and generosity for her own personal gain, but false charity erodes the credibility of support for actual worthy causes. I witnessed this woman grifting my neighbor out of money a few minutes after she left my door. While I know there are some who prefer to make excuses for this woman, perhaps especially because of her race (which is completely incidental), I have a hard time co-signing the actions of scam artists like her who take advantage of working people in a neighborhood where there is a not insignificant amount of residential break-ins. I don’t live in fear but I believe in being cautious and doing what I can to look out for my neighbors in West Seattle. It is because people minimize or make excuses for the actions for people like this young woman is why she and others like her continue to “do business” in our neighborhoods.

hana April 4, 2008 (9:18 am)

I saw two of these girls standing in the middle of my street (50th/Grayson) when I came home on Wednesday evening. One was on a cell phone – I don’t think either were the girl in the photo though.

When I got out of my car, the other girl approached me and I thought that perhaps she had car trouble or something. She said she “needed to earn 10,000 points” for a youth program and that she was legit and was selling magazine just like the ones I ordered last year. I told her that I didn’t order any last year and that I had to go and wished her good luck.

Gigi April 4, 2008 (2:25 pm)

Bravo Christopher & WSB! I really appreciate having the information and heads up.

I too, endured 3 different visits from magazine solicitors last Fall. All four were young Africian-Americans, that were friendly until I said no.

Now I have posted a ‘no solicitors’ sign by my doorbell, and the only solicitors that I get ignore the doorbell and knock. All four of these folks were Caucasian and wanted to talk to me about church. One wanted me to “just read the bible”. I wish he could just read my ‘no soliciting sign’ and get a clue.

Keep up the good work!

m April 4, 2008 (4:51 pm)

I appreciate seeing this information too. If you google ‘American National’, nothing on the first two search pages mentions anything about youth leadership programs… Not that google is the answer to everything, but it makes this whole scenario look a bit fishy to me.