I'm ranting today!
By estherlou
@estherlou (5015)
United States
September 18, 2011 11:29am CST
I'm 61 years old. I've worked since I was about 16 or 17. I took off about a year with each child and then went back to work. In this day of scary economy we all work hard for the little we get! I work about 32 hours a week at my job. I am partly handicapped and there is not much out there I can physically do for some extra money. I can't go to the story by myself...someone has to take me with my wheelchair. So I decided to try selling Avon online. So far, I have a few regulars and loyal family members who order. It has not turned into the extra income I wanted yet, but it is paying for the catalogues and samples I like to give out and paying for the Avon I want to use personally! So, for now, I guess I could call it my new hobby!
What I'm ranting about today are the people out there who are out to scam you, get something for nothing, and who take advantage of those of us who are legitimately trying to help ourselves. I have gotten 3 separate email requests through my Avon web page in the past 2-3 months. All they do is leave a name and an email address and ask for me to contact them about Avon products they want to order. The first one I got excited about. Oh boy! A new customer! They wanted to order several hundred dollars of Avon and bring me a check when they got to town to pick it up. Their credit card was "in flux" or some weird something or other but they really wanted to order this for their store or some such thing. Ok. That right there is enough for your inner radar to pay attention to. I contacted Avon and they told me about scams going around. They warned me I would be responsible for whatever these people spent and stuck me with. Hello! File 13! The second email I got I was better prepared for. Same type of story...wanting to order several hundred dollars worth of Avon and would give me a credit card number when they came into town and contacted me! I forwarded this email on to Avon and didn't bother responding. I just got another one this morning with just a name and an email address saying they wanted to order some Avon. Well, hello! If you were on my web page...you could have already ordered some Avon! So this time, my email response was to thank them for visiting my web page and that if they had trouble navigating the site, I'd be happy to help them. I doubt if I'll hear from them again.
I just don't understand why there are so many people out there trying to cheat those of us who are hard-working and doing what we have to do stay afloat! We are all hurting. But how about a little honest hard work instead of trying to cheat the innocent and naive! Give me a break!
2 people like this
7 responses
@gk655321 (236)
•
18 Sep 11
I hate that. I've been looking for a job for the past 4 months. I've had lots of interviews too bad they were just not legit. Last week I had an interview with a certain company and on their job post they said no certification was required, which didn't seem right, but I figured I'd go just in case. Well, I get there and it was like a group interview. And then they set a second interview with the actual hiring manager. It wasn't until I spoke with her face to face that I will end up having to pay 500 bucks for a certification before I can even work for them....
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
18 Sep 11
That's just wrong! Who looking for work has $500 to toss out there? Amazing! I wonder how many will borrow it just to hope they can get work?
@TeamCholent (2832)
• United States
18 Sep 11
In this day and age I can't help agree with you, it seems the harder you work the less you have while others work so little but yet seem to enjoy all the benefits of a great life. With internet and e-commerce growing in almost every country you are going to face the growing rate of scammers, hackers and abusers. I guess that is just something we have to prepare for. It is a good thing you are not like many who would have fallen into this trap and sent the products and of course walked away losing a lot of money. Hope the business starts to pick up for you. have you tried things like Amazon affiliate as well?
1 person likes this
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
18 Sep 11
I never had much luck with affiliate programs, so haven't tried again in many years.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169450)
• United States
18 Sep 11
I know. They probably want to get the AVON and resell it on E Bay or some such. It is frustrating when you try to earn an honest living and just get this garbage all of the time.
@GardenGerty (169450)
• United States
19 Sep 11
That is a twist I had not thought of and is interesting to know.
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
19 Sep 11
Actually, I guess I didn't give enough information. I was told they are probably trying out various credit card numbers to find one that is legit and working. They would be using me to run the numbers or something. They don't really want the avon at all. But I would have already ordered for them.
1 person likes this
@Eskimo (2315)
•
19 Sep 11
I have to admire you, because you are trying to earn a living. There are too many people out there who think the world owes them a living and try to scam people.
I've lost count of the number of scam e-mails that I receive, but while most of them are obviously false, there are a few which come close to fooling me. I'm lucky in that I have a number of different security measures which help me find these scam e-mails.
As other people have said, if the English grammar is wrong then the e-mail is probably wrong as well.
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
19 Sep 11
I have never understood that, either. If those people were to turn their talents to legitimate, honest labor they could turn their ideas and people skills into millions! Or, they could go into politics. (I'm not kidding, con men are needed in the political arena because those we have are becoming too predictable)
I know what you mean about the little that we can make. I'm not in a wheelchair yet but my scoliosis and arthritis are so bad that I can barely get through the grocery store. I write to make extra money--it's not great money but it helps a lot. I wish I could work in a "real" job but at 57, I'm often passed over for younger people for office jobs and I can't stand long enough to work in retail.
@BarBaraPrz (51818)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
18 Sep 11
There's always someone out there trying to get something for nothing. Good for you for not falling for it.
