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Health & Fitness

Summer scams: A kid knocks on your door

Every summer, thousands of students are recruited to sell candy, cookies, magazines and other products door-to-door. Oftentimes, these minors claim that the proceeds from the sale will go to a school program or community youth organization. But, is that really the case?

 

The San Diego Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns consumers that not all of those junior sales people are selling on behalf of a charity, their school trip or community youth organization. Instead, many are selling on behalf of for-profit businesses who hire minors and young teenagers to promote their product. Others are merely collecting credit card information for their bosses who needs the numbers for identity theft.

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Hiring such young children also may violate child labor laws. In some case, minors who work long hours for very little pay are taken hundreds of miles away from their homes and conduct sales with minimal adult supervision.

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The BBB recommends: be safe, ask for identification before you open the door and never invite the solicitor into your home; never give cash money unless you know you are giving to local kids for local causes; stand strong against high-pressure sales tactics and special offers meant to entice you; If you feel threatened by any door-to-door sales person, call 911. If you want to order a magazine subscription, the BBB recommends you order it directly from the publisher instead of a door-to-door magazine sales representative.

 

For additional consumer protection information, visit www.bbb.org or contact the Better Business Bureau (BBB) by phoning (858) 637-6199 during regular business hours. Or, call the BBB's 24-hour Consumer Helpline at (858) 496-2131 or 1-800-600-7050 to obtain free information on local companies along with a list of BBB accredited businesses in a particular type of industry.

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