Pumped for information

[Scutter01]

Post copied from this thread (so you have some continuity):
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/carry_issues_and_self_defense/51403-caught_unaware.html


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That's funny, as I was reading this thread, my doorbell rang. It was some young woman with what sounded like a Russian accent. She was selling some kind of encyclopedia or teaching books for school kids.

I'm sure it was perfectly innocent, but what set me on edge (aside from just having read this thread), was that she had no visible ID on her, and before she started into her spiel, she wanted to know the names and ages of the kids in my house. She said "I've already met the other parents on your street and got to hear about..." and proceeded to name several of the other kids and their parents' names on my street. That annoyed me because it felt like I was being manipulated into trusting her (oh, she must be OK if she knows everyone else). She got flustered when I told her I refused to give out information about my household. I asked her who she was representing and she mumbled something about a company named "Southwest". That's the same thing I hear from bill collectors when they call my number looking for the previous owner of the number. They always refuse to be upfront about who they are. They'll mumble a set of initials or something: "Oh, I'm with A.R.S." and then get cagey when I ask who "A.R.S." is or what the corporate address is.

Like I said, it was probably perfectly innocent, but I wasn't falling for it either way.

 

[MontereyC6]

Post copied from this thread (so you have some continuity):
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/carry_issues_and_self_defense/51403-caught_unaware.html


****************
That's funny, as I was reading this thread, my doorbell rang. It was some young woman with what sounded like a Russian accent. She was selling some kind of encyclopedia or teaching books for school kids.

I'm sure it was perfectly innocent, but what set me on edge (aside from just having read this thread), was that she had no visible ID on her, and before she started into her spiel, she wanted to know the names and ages of the kids in my house. She said "I've already met the other parents on your street and got to hear about..." and proceeded to name several of the other kids and their parents' names on my street. That annoyed me because it felt like I was being manipulated into trusting her (oh, she must be OK if she knows everyone else). She got flustered when I told her I refused to give out information about my household. I asked her who she was representing and she mumbled something about a company named "Southwest". That's the same thing I hear from bill collectors when they call my number looking for the previous owner of the number. They always refuse to be upfront about who they are. They'll mumble a set of initials or something: "Oh, I'm with A.R.S." and then get cagey when I ask who "A.R.S." is or what the corporate address is.

Like I said, it was probably perfectly innocent, but I wasn't falling for it either way.

I'm typically home by myself. The kids are here every other weekend, the girlfriend once in a blue moon(she has 3 kids of her own). On the RARE occasion that someone knocks on the door or rings the bell, I never open it. I can peak out my kitchen window and watch the front door walk to see who is there. Last week a guy for the cable company came knocking wanting me to resign up with them. I could see he had a clipboard in his hand so I opened the door just enough to acknowledge him. I've always made it a habit to keep my foot behind the door just in the out of the world chance that he decided to be stupid. Oh, he also couldn't see my Sig that was on my side.

 

[Agent 007]

.

 

[Scutter01]

I keep waiting for Catherine Zeta-Jones to knock on my door and ask me if I have time for a mobile makeover. Yes....yes, I believe I do!

I'm still not telling her I have any kids.

 

[Greatestsin]

i think you did good not telling her, and showcases how insane some people are giving out that info

 

[sporter]

Russian accent huh?

Was she hot?

 

[Scutter01]

Russian accent huh?

Was she hot?

Not really. She just seemed like a college kid trying to earn extra money by selling encyclopedias with inadequate training. Very shakey, nervous voice. Mostly she was just hard to understand, which annoyed me.

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

I don't know if it was the same company but I had a "representative" selling nearly identical materials visit my house in early summer. The biggest concern that I had was how many of my neighbors gave the names and ages of their children, and then the disconcerting idea that the neighbors allegedly recommended that the lady visit my house because they know that I have a son of school age.

 

[Dryden]

I like to interrogate them also. After a while they get angry or frustrated and walk away.

I'm an old loney guy with nothing to do but screw around with poor door-to-door jerks. But hey, I'm damned good at it.

 

[lovemywoods]

I'm an old loney guy with nothing to do but screw around with poor door-to-door jerks. But hey, I'm damned good at it.

Everybody's got to be good at something...looks like you've found your niche!

 

[Turn Key]

I'm typically home by myself. The kids are here every other weekend, the girlfriend once in a blue moon(she has 3 kids of her own). On the RARE occasion that someone knocks on the door or rings the bell, I never open it. I can peak out my kitchen window and watch the front door walk to see who is there. Last week a guy for the cable company came knocking wanting me to resign up with them. I could see he had a clipboard in his hand so I opened the door just enough to acknowledge him. I've always made it a habit to keep my foot behind the door just in the out of the world chance that he decided to be stupid. Oh, he also couldn't see my Sig that was on my side.

A Clipboard - An Orange Safety Vest with a dirty hard hat etc. are all easy ways to gain access to almost anywhere you want to go. So many sheeple will automatically step aside for the guy that "Looks Official".

Be very careful, do not get fooled by the cover on the book.

TK

 

[MontereyC6]

A Clipboard - An Orange Safety Vest with a dirty hard hat etc. are all easy ways to gain access to almost anywhere you want to go. So many sheeple will automatically step aside for the guy that "Looks Official".

Be very careful, do not get fooled by the cover on the book.

TK

That's why the foot was behind the door and a Sig on my side. I never once let down my guard or suspicion.

 

[Jay]

My dogs have yet to learn that knocking on my doors is an appropriate behavior....... unless I go to the gate/s and open them for you

I kinda like that....... my neighbors tell me now and then about the clipboard-carrying folks who reach for the gate latch, realize the rumble they hear is NOT a Harley...... then straighten up and "Charlie Chaplin" down the street........ yay for Jay's dogs.....

 

[GuyRelford]

Russian accent huh?

Was she hot?

Well, for future reference, "ti krasivaya" (pronounced tee kra-SEE-va-ya) is "you are beautiful" in Russian. That's come in handy a couple times.

 

[ATM]

Had a young british guy peddling school reference books in my neighborhood a couple days ago as well. He also dropped a few names from nearby houses. I told him I had the internets and knew how to use them. Books for general reference are fairly obsolete IMO so I told him I wasn't interested.

We talked briefly at the front door about bacon, fish and chips, roundabouts and driving on the wrong side of the road. He didn't notice or at least didn't mention my handgun.

For the record, he told me he assumed a child in the household due to the little pink bike in the driveway.

I acted very offended and told him my wife was a dwarf.

Not really, but it would have been quite funny.