Conned

[gategrrl]

I guess I'll have to admit I was snookered by a conwoman back in November. This girl in her twenties came to our door, selling magazine subscriptions for some reason or other. At this point, it hardly matters. And even though I had a niggle in the back of my head, especially when she tacked on an extra $15 to the amount, I should have said NO. But I didn't, and now I'm out 60some dollars. Every once in a while, Mermaid asks me when she's going to get her magazine, and when I still had the reciept, I called it last month, the woman I spoke to on the phone said the mag wasn't started up yet.

Yeah. Right.

It's been four months. The magazine. It ain't coming.

I'm perplexed with myself. I don't usually get sucked into scams like this. And it WAS a scam. You'd think I would have listened to the inner niggle telling me it wasn't a good idea.

*figuratively kicks conwoman in the ass*

Update: upon clearing my desk up of mess, I found the receipt. It's 6pm here in LA, and it's a Sunday. I'm going to call them up tomorrow morning. Any idea what I should say in order to get some results?  It would appear that the first time I called, I was told to call back in APRIL. I paid them on November 11 2009 of last year!

Dynasty Technology, Inc.
PO Box 1060
Kitteridge, CO 80457
(303) 674-8252

"Allow 150 days for delivery of your subscription"

Buh? Doing the math, that comes out to exactly 5 months (of 30 days each).  I wonder if the long lead-time is so that people who give them money forget about it, or lose the receipt and the phone number!

Comments

Not great advice

[ndmzero.livejournal.com]

If you're going to call - threaten federal -- interstate commerce; mail fraud --Civil RICO (they were presumably going to mail you the mags - that's federal; if they use the mail to commit a fraud conspiracy, that's RICO = I don't know what it will accomplish, but if you follow through, it may make them sweat. Call the local Federal Trade commission and turn over (copies) of docs and file a report with the local and state Better Business Bureau - and let them know - It may help someone else, if nothing else.

[nialla]

They're definitely a ripoff, and do so under multiple names. Googled the number, this was the first hit.

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's what I figured. The person who wrote in finally did get her money back. I may end up having to do the same thing.

*facepalm to headdesk*

Still can't believe I fell for it. Sheesh.

[superbadgirl]

Oh, dear.

I hope you get your money back. If you don't, I'm glad it was not a huge amount.

[nialla]

I've found Googling phone numbers to be a pretty efficient way to figure out if someone's a scammer. Works on telemarketer numbers left on my caller ID, but when you're in a face-to-face situation, it's a lot harder to stop and think, and that's what they're going for.

If you write, send it certified with a return receipt. You can do e-receipts now, where you just enter the number in at the USPS website and enter your email and it will notify you when it's received. That way you can say if you have not heard anything with 10 business days of receipt, you will take this up with whatever authorities you want, and you'll know when to start counting. ;)

[eviljr.livejournal.com]

aww *hugs* we have those peeps coming around my area quite a bit when it gets warm out so I'm used to it, and know the warning signs. It's always amusing to hear them rattle on for a bit and then close the door. lol

[jennywren102.livejournal.com]

I fell for something similar, so at least you're not alone. And I'm a *very* difficult person to scam! In my case, a fellow came to the door selling subscriptions to magazines which were to be sent to our troops overseas. Except that now WE are getting Outside magazine. I looked them up at the BBB regional site and they've got one of the worst records for customer satisfaction and highest scores for fraud that you can get. D'OH!