A phone call I got... GRRRR

[Char]

Ok, I hate yard sales, just can't hardly stand them... going to them or having them, BUT, on the other hand, hubster loves having them, so, we do, twice a year, spring and fall...

So, about a month ago (a little later than we wanted to), we had a sale... advertised it in the paper, and our paper requires you put a phone number... ok, long story short...

The day after the sale, we got a phone call, it was a cell phone, the caller id showed the number, but, the name was 'private'. Anyway, hubster answered, there was a woman on the other end, she said "I was wondering if you sold all of your yard sale items, anf if not, would you donate them to me ?" Hubsters like "Donate them to you ? Who are you ?" She said "Well, I'm from another state, and my husband used to beat me up, (she never mentioned having any kids) and I had to come here and hide out.. and I have nothing." But, he was thinking... "well, you have a cell phone..." so, he said, "no, we have another sale later on, so, we keep our stuff." And she hung up... Well, it was all too fishy, and, I assumed, since she called us, she must have called others... So, I waited an hour or so and called the number... she answered. I said "Yes, I have your number on my caller id, and, I missed your call... could I help you ?" And she went on to tell me the same story she told hubster... so, I asked her, where do you live ? She said, "I am living at the battered womens shelter, all of us here could use anything you have to give away, I have a car and can come get the stuff."...

I'm thinking "yeah woman, you just want my stuff to sell for the money !" Anyway, I told her I didn't think so... people living at a shelter, who have a car and a cell phone are not exactly hard up... I hung up and searched for the battered women's shelters phone number... I couldn't find it, my sis suggested I call the police for the number... I did, and they could not give it to me (it's very private), BUT, they took my story and called the shelter, then called me back... there was NO ONE living at the shelter from out of town, there were only three women there, NONE had been making any calls, nor was the shelter doing any kind of a fund raising drive.

Can you imagine that ! Making up that kind of a story. I have donated to the shelter before... toothpaste, toothbrushes, clothes etc... but I knew this lady was scamming.

I can't wait to see if the same lady calls me after our next sale. If she does, I'm going to go along with it and find out who she is !

[Shancopp]

some nerve!

[Tasha405]

That is such crap! Some people will do anything to scam others. Give her hell if she ever calls you back! ;)

[freebielover]

Wow thats pretty low. The things people will do for a buck. Tell her to meet you somewhere to get all of the stuff next time, then never show up :)

[Shann]

how ridiculous I cannot believe the nerve of some people! :mad:

[Jackie_Blu]

She sounds like a real scam artist. Wonder if she calls again, and you arrange a meeting, if the cops would like to be there? Just a thought....but maybe they wont consider what she is doing is wrong, asking for stuff and if ppl give it to her, guess its up to them. BUT she is definitely lying and is up to something for sure. Glad you didnt give her anything.

[janelle]

I would tell the paper about it. Requiring a phone number is really not smart. All we need to do here it list our address and you want to do that to get people to your sale. Only the phone number goes to the paper for their info not put in the paper for all to see.

[taz69]

Call her back and tell her you saved her a trip and donated it all to the shelter-you hope it's the one she is at!

[cpbaby]

Call her back and tell her you saved her a trip and donated it all to the shelter-you hope it's the one she is at!

GOOD idea! :clapping

[Freebeemom]

That is really ridiculous.
I used to organize a donation center for the homeless shelter in our area. I would go to garage sales with a slip in hand to write off items for a donation. Many people would do this, as we would take their items directly to the shelter and give them a tax write off on the spot. The items Always went to the location.

How sad.

[Jackie_Blu]

Call her back and tell her you saved her a trip and donated it all to the shelter-you hope it's the one she is at!

Hey thats an excellent idea!

[iluvmybaby]

And she went on to tell me the same story she told hubster... so, I asked her, where do you live ? She said, "I am living at the battered womens shelter, all of us here could use anything you have to give away, I have a car and can come get the stuff."...

WOW she is so BALLSY, I take it she actually gave you a number to a battered womens shelter ???((Showed that she put thought into this because she researched into it to get the number))

Edited to add: When I get done with my yard sales, I do donate it to charitable organizations, REAL charitable organizations, like thrift for missions or easter or the salvation army

[tljohn123]

There is a lady here that is a freecycler (which we've really gotten into), and she told us this nice story about how she doesn't keep anything for herself, she donates it to needy families. Well, she sent her husband to pick up a bunch of stuff (furniture wise) and he says that they take it to the YMCA and sell it all! And something else bothered me....I gave her 5-6 bags of women's clothes, and I know for a fact they went thru them first and kept what they wanted. How do I know? He was wearing one of the tshirts that was in the bag!!!!

[speedygirl]

I'd call her back and meet her...with the police. ;)

[Kelsey1224]

wow...maybe it's just me, but I don't have enough time or energy to get sucked into this type of drama. I'm amazed at all the other responses by people who are also upset by it and are suggesting ways to "catch her". So...maybe she was a scammer...maybe not. Who cares? Move on.

I had a friend who left an abusive husband, taking her four daughters and going to a women's shelter. All she had was her car and the clothes they could pack into it. she did have a cell phone. I certainly didn't begrudge her having a car. She even had a job, but needed to stay at a "shelter" until she could get back on her feet. As many of you can attest to...coming up with first, last months rent, security deposit, utility deposits, etc...all while trying to stay hidden from her husband...took a lot.

Anyway...my point is that this person asked for something free. Your husband said no. She didn't argue or try to make him feel guilty or anything like that. When you called her back...she didn't change her story.

I don't understand why you even called her back. If she was scamming...she got nowhere at your house. You won. Why get aggrevated over it???

I just think there is enough trouble in our own worlds without looking for it elsewhere. I guess I'm feeling like the OP is upset and bothered by this...and the woman caller hasn't given it another thought. The best way to be empowered in our lives is to let the little stuff go.

JMHO!

[whatever]

normallly i would agree with you, but after watching dateline last night on itrackers where 20 people stole ipods without hesitation it made me sick. I think people are just sick of other people trying scam on others. I could not believe so many people did it. Okay so i could see a teenager being tempted, but some of the adults. Esp when i heard the part about airline pilots taking passengers etc. Okay i think they can afford their own!! I myself do not own one. Don't really see all the hipe about them. I am into technology don't get me wrong we have a the lcd tvs with hd etc. ( we saved to we could afford them) but i just think it bothers people when people are trying to get free when they can afford it or if they are doing it to turn around to make a buck for themselves. like maybe she was going to sell at a garage sell or thrift store. who knows.
Kind of makes me chuckle to write this when here we are all freebie hunters LOL.

[lassss]

She is probably using that excuse to get unwanted items to have her own yard sale!! I have seen people do this, buy stuff at a garage sale and then take it to a flea market and sell it for more money !

[PrincessArky]

I cant say it really surprises me I have seen alot of wild things ppl do just so they can make money w/out actually working for it

[ooops]

Then again, the caller might have been telling the truth. I have known women in several hideaway houses. They are not publically known locations. Case workers and other people know locations, only to protect the privacy of the people there. Some of these places are nothing more than large houses that someone has agreed to put these people up in.. and they have do their own daily chores, etc. There can be more than 1 battered womens (unknown to public) in the area, that is more secluded.

[Char]

wow...maybe it's just me, but I don't have enough time or energy to get sucked into this type of drama. I'm amazed at all the other responses by people who are also upset by it and are suggesting ways to "catch her". So...maybe she was a scammer...maybe not. Who cares? Move on.

I had a friend who left an abusive husband, taking her four daughters and going to a women's shelter. All she had was her car and the clothes they could pack into it. she did have a cell phone. I certainly didn't begrudge her having a car. She even had a job, but needed to stay at a "shelter" until she could get back on her feet. As many of you can attest to...coming up with first, last months rent, security deposit, utility deposits, etc...all while trying to stay hidden from her husband...took a lot.

Anyway...my point is that this person asked for something free. Your husband said no. She didn't argue or try to make him feel guilty or anything like that. When you called her back...she didn't change her story.

I don't understand why you even called her back. If she was scamming...she got nowhere at your house. You won. Why get aggrevated over it???

I just think there is enough trouble in our own worlds without looking for it elsewhere. I guess I'm feeling like the OP is upset and bothered by this...and the woman caller hasn't given it another thought. The best way to be empowered in our lives is to let the little stuff go.

JMHO!


Are you kidding me ?!?!

[Kelsey1224]

Are you kidding me ?!?!

No, I wasn't kidding you. My post was sincere. I don't see what harm was done. As I said...was she a scammer...maybe. But, maybe not. Either way, you weren't harmed by her call. Move on.

[Char]

No, she was a scammer for sure. We have ONE shelter here, and she was not staying there.

There was no 'huge drama' here, I didn't lose any sleep over it, just disgusted that someone would use such a story to try and take your stuff... under false pretenses.

And yea, I was harmed by her call... despressed at the lack of tact and truthfulness on her part. It always affects you when you are reminded at what low-lifes people can be. And ya never know, she probably messed things up for the 'legitimate' women who really do need a handout.

Oh, and since I can tell you are worried about me, trust me... I have 'moved on'. :D

[janelle]

She is probably using that excuse to get unwanted items to have her own yard sale!! I have seen people do this, buy stuff at a garage sale and then take it to a flea market and sell it for more money !

Actually this is what people do on E-Bay.

I think the woman would have been wiser if she said she would be willing to take anything you wanted to get rid of instead of paying someone to haul it off. She would haul it off for free.

We have signs on corners here and people have set up businesses to haul off people's junk. Of course, they will charge to do it. We have gotten rid of things by setting them near the street. Poor people near mid-town will take them as soon as they are set out. In nicer neighborhoods one needs to pay for someone to take things.

Tell her about freecycle. Older people cannot take things to the dump and sometimes can't even get charities to come get big things. Our Goodwill will not take baby things like cribs, strollers, etc. Guess they don't want to bother with all the recalls on such things. The Salvation Army will not take furniture that needs reupholstered since they have no one who can do it.

Sometimes it's near impossible to get rid of unwanted things.

[Kelsey1224]

No, she was a scammer for sure. We have ONE shelter here, and she was not staying there.

There was no 'huge drama' here, I didn't lose any sleep over it, just disgusted that someone would use such a story to try and take your stuff... under false pretenses.

And yea, I was harmed by her call... despressed at the lack of tact and truthfulness on her part. It always affects you when you are reminded at what low-lifes people can be. And ya never know, she probably messed things up for the 'legitimate' women who really do need a handout.

Oh, and since I can tell you are worried about me, trust me... I have 'moved on'. :D

Gosh...I'm sorry I posted a response. It was not my intent to be hostile, just to post my opinion. I had forgotten that it was sometimes a problem to do so on this board. On the other hand...this is the V/W board and you were doing just that. Something that you had the right to do. I will, however, in the future, avoid your posts because you obviously are not interested in any differing opinion.

[PrincessArky]

Gosh...I'm sorry I posted a response. It was not my intent to be hostile, just to post my opinion. I had forgotten that it was sometimes a problem to do so on this board. On the other hand...this is the V/W board and you were doing just that. Something that you had the right to do. I will, however, in the future, avoid your posts because you obviously are not interested in any differing opinion.

oh please dont do that........it doesnt matter what anyone thinks of your posts

[Char]

Gosh...I'm sorry I posted a response. It was not my intent to be hostile, just to post my opinion. I had forgotten that it was sometimes a problem to do so on this board. On the other hand...this is the V/W board and you were doing just that. Something that you had the right to do. I will, however, in the future, avoid your posts because you obviously are not interested in any differing opinion.

What ??? All I did was reply to your thread... and pointed out to you that she was, indeed, scamming, since that seemed to be one of your concerns. That the shelter was checked, and she was not staying there.

And, I assured you that I had moved on, since that was the statement YOU had said to me, another concern you had.

*whatever*

This is so yesterday now................