Southwestern Company Difference Blog

In yet another article about magazine scams, Scott Whipple, staff writer for The Bristol Press wrote something that caught my eye in his October 12 article, “Magazine scams hit front doors.”

Whipple paints the picture of having a young person at your door claiming to be raising money for something or other.  The scam?  The young person may be part of “an aggressive sales force that preys on low-income people.”  He further states the young person may be also be a victim of “rip-off artists” who may not pay as promised.  Thus, the vicious cycle of the traveling magazine sales crew continues.

Getting back to what caught my attention, Whipple reports the Connecticut Society of CPAs are noticing an upswing in the complaints of their clients about being scammed by the door-to-door traveling sales crews.  What a great connection!  CPAs are always looking out for their clients and are knowledgeable about financial scams and the community. 

Throughout the article, Whipple does a fantastic job of remaining balanced (stating there are some legit companies out there), while presenting options for his readers when presented with a magazine offer at their doorstep.  He covers everything from the Federal Trade Commission’s three-day “Cooling Off Rule” to questions to ask the solicitor prior to purchase. 

I recommend a quick read – even if only for the tips.

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