They scare you into buying things.

United Kingdom
February 15, 2024 6:01am CST
I know we all have to be careful that our details do not fall into the wrong hands, but I saw something on the shopping channel that really made my blood boil. A very charismatic presenter was trying to sell paper shredders that had been reduced in price. He was giving it the hard sell but doing it in such a way that he seemed to be scaring people into thinking they should buy one of these things. He was trying to make people worry that their details would get into the wrong hand if they did not buy one of these shredders. He was saying things like, thieves will break into your house and steal your bank statement and other bits of paper with your details on.
16 people like this
13 responses
@just4him (307407)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
15 Feb
It's more likely thieves will break into your online accounts rather than your home. I walk away from people like that or turn the channel.
5 people like this
• United Kingdom
16 Feb
I turned it off in the end, he was scaring me but I did not buy the shredder. We had one before and we did not use it, and it just sat in the cupboard getting in the way.
1 person likes this
@just4him (307407)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
16 Feb
@lazydaizee I have one too. I've used it, but not often.
1 person likes this
@Shavkat (137238)
• Philippines
15 Feb
I don't like this kind of scheme.
3 people like this
• United Kingdom
16 Feb
I don`t like it either it is not a good way to do business.
@GardenGerty (157675)
• United States
16 Feb
They also used to tell you that thieves would go through your trash to read your important documents. I like to throw "important documents" into the same trash can as the kitty litter I have scooped. No one would go through that.
1 person likes this
• United Kingdom
16 Feb
That is a good way to know that your documents will be safe when you throw them away. I always run my old documents under the tap before I throw them away, then all the information gets pulped up and nobody would be able to read it.
@DWDavis (25812)
• Pikeville, North Carolina
15 Feb
He was making a hard sell. We have had a shredder for years.
2 people like this
• United Kingdom
16 Feb
We had a small one years ago, we used it to begin with but then we put it in the cupboard where it just took up space.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (459514)
• Switzerland
15 Feb
You cannot destroy your documents "immediately", we must keep at least 5 years, so what he said was pretty stupid.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (459514)
• Switzerland
16 Feb
@lazydaizee For taxation purposes we must keep ALL those documents during 5 years. They could ask you to see your bank statements and you must provide them.
• United Kingdom
16 Feb
That is what I thought. I need my bank statements and other paperwork because, whenever I contact these places, they always need my account details and I cannot remember them off by heart. These documents also contain useful phone numbers that I need when I have to contact them.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326222)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Feb
Some salesmen use very unscrupulous tactics. He sounds quite ruthless.
1 person likes this
• United Kingdom
16 Feb
I think he was desperate to make a sale. Even though the shredder had been reduced in price, it was still expensive.
1 person likes this
@popciclecold (35472)
• United States
15 Feb
That would turn me off.
1 person likes this
• United Kingdom
16 Feb
It turned me off, and then I turned the TV off.
@snowy22315 (170653)
• United States
15 Feb
Fear mongering sometimes works unfortunately.
1 person likes this
• United Kingdom
16 Feb
Unfortunately that is very true.
@capirani (2745)
• United States
16 Feb
The way I look at it is that if some idiot wants my information from any paperwork that I might throw in the trash un-shredded, they are welcome to it. After all, they would first have to figure out just what part of the landfill the garbage truck hauled my specific garbage bags to. Then they would have to go dig through ALL the garbage in the area of where that truck dumped my specific bags at, climb through the muck, dig through each bag until they found exactly what they were looking for, already covered with the slimy food garbage also in that bag. If they want my stuff that badly, more power to them,
1 person likes this
• United Kingdom
16 Feb
This is very true and it is unlikely that anybody would do that. The slimy food will have stained the documents anyway by the time they found them.
@LindaOHio (157402)
• United States
15 Feb
I don't like a hard sell. I do shred all of our sensitive documents. Have a good day.
1 person likes this
• United Kingdom
16 Feb
Hard sell is very unfair on vulnerable people who would be worried about getting their details stolen.
1 person likes this
@KarenAnne (257)
• United Kingdom
15 Feb
If they are breaking into your house they are after jewellery and electronics rather than info (unless you are living in a spy movie). We don't have a shredder. We have a firepit and matches!
1 person likes this
• United Kingdom
16 Feb
This is very true, what thief would be going through drawers looking for numbers and names when they could just run off with a jewellery box? A firepit and matches sounds like the best way to dispose of old paperwork.
1 person likes this
@cabuyogty (2328)
16 Feb
I always don't like to buy anything just for nothing in return
• Georgia
15 Feb
I do not like those kinds of selling tactics
1 person likes this
• United Kingdom
16 Feb
It is unfair because they get people worried.