Door to door sales - youngsters staying out of prison

[Spinney]

I get one of these lads (they are always lads) come round three or four times a year, explaining that they are trying to earn money rather than reoffend, then want me to buy dusters, gardening gloves, various other widgets for the home. They have a piece of laminated paper that looks like an ID, but who would know if it was legit!

I sometimes buy stuff, but they generally try the guilt trip - only trying to go straight etc. Today's let fall that he is on 50% commission (which is why the stuff is dearer than in the supermarket, no doubt) and everything in his bag cost a tenner.

So, he wasted 10 minutes of his time (I did warn him before he started I was unlikely to buy anything), 10 minutes of my time, and left me feeling guilty for not helping.

Does anyone know about these guys? It strikes me that it could be someone really exploiting the lads doing the selling - it is entirely possible they could only make one sale an hour, given the time they must spend actually going from door to door, waiting for someone to answer, knocking again if no reply etc. So their 'wage' could easily be below minimum.

TBH, if he's going to make £5 for selling me something I don't want, I'd rather give him a fiver, cash in hand, for him washing my car or something.

 

[Milkfloat]

My understanding is that it is a criminal gang actually offending - not ex-offenders.

https://www.safelocaltrades.com/consumers/advice/nottingham-knockers

 

[classic33]

Not something like Betterware is it? Make £750 per day, if your lucky.

 

[KneesUp]

This used to happen at my parents house when I lived there - we're talking early 90s. It's never happened in any of the places I've lived. From this I presume you live in one of the more affluent areas of your city or town, or an area where more older people live. The story used to vary - sometimes they were deaf, or claiming to be, sometimes they were trying to go straight.

 

[Spinney]

My understanding is that it is a criminal gang actually offending - not ex-offenders.

https://www.safelocaltrades.com/consumers/advice/nottingham-knockers

Ah, that sounds like it.

So maybe next time I'll ask if I can photograph their ID, and them as well if there is no picture on it, so I can check with the program? Maybe they'll stop coming then.

This used to happen at my parents house when I lived there - we're talking early 90s. It's never happened in any of the places I've lived. From this I presume you live in one of the more affluent areas of your city or town, or an area where more older people live. The story used to vary - sometimes they were deaf, or claiming to be, sometimes they were trying to go straight.

I live on the main B-road through the village, I suppose some of the houses look affluent (OK, mine does), but the next ones along are social housing, so they probably haven't picked the best spot.

Anyway, they do know now that there is usually someone in during the day, and I'm not elderly (yet).

 

[Buck]

We sometimes have these arrive in our village even though we are a designated no cold-calling zone. There will be a min bus dropping them at the top of the village and they work their way around.

They are not young offenders but they are young people who are "gang mastered " into the work with a promise of high earnings that don't actually materialise. The police have been involved around here as there have been threats of violence and intimidation when people do not buy anything.

I've spoken to them a couple of times when caught off guard and answered the door not realising who they were and they are very pushy and I could imagine would be quite intimidating to an elderly or more vulnerable individual.

 

[smokeysmoo]

 

[winjim]

I remember seeing an undercover documentary years ago about these guys. Young lad at the door had opened one of the packets to show an ironing board cover to an old lady, only to discover a big hole in it. Took it back to his boss in the van.

"Boss, I opened this up and it's pony"
"You idiot, don't open it up, it's all pony!"​

So I reckon it's dodgy. The lads at the door may or may not be in on it, they may be genuine ex-offenders being exploited as you say, but somewhere along the line there will be a crook making money.

 

[winjim]

Did the program have a bit where they had a run in with some skinheads?

Can't recall, it was yonks ago. Do you remember it then?

ETA: might have been called The Knockers or Undercover Knockers or something like that.

 

[Crackle]

We get these calling occasionally. I'd never considered it was actually a scam but they are pushy and sometimes unpleasant

 

[Drago]

I had one of these callers a while ago. I politely told him I wasn't interested and he went bimbo at me, effing and jeffing. I just shut the door in his face before the temptation to make him do the chicken overwhelmed me.

He wasn't doing very well staying out of trouble!

 

[winjim]

Can't recall, it was yonks ago. Do you remember it then?

ETA: might have been called The Knockers or Undercover Knockers or something like that.

OK, I just googled Undercover Knockers. It didn't really help. Maybe don't do that if you're at work or in polite company or anything.

 

[winjim]

I remember a program of that nature.

The Knockers Tale, although I would have been about six years old when it came out so I don't think it's the one I mean, unless they repeated it. Awesome fight scene though.

http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b752d9d4e



Come to think of it, I might just have seen it on Bob Mills.

 

[Dec66]

Did the program have a bit where they had a run in with some skinheads?

No, they had a "run in" with another gang of knockers, saying that they were on their turf, and they all got some sticks from outside a handily-placed "sticks for fighting with" shop and had a dust up.

Our heroes were, apparently, "the chaps of the manor" and were "football", while the other lot were "muggy boneheads".

Bob Mills explains.


View: https://youtu.be/FdLgoAvwQL8

 

[KneesUp]

OK, I just googled Undercover Knockers. It didn't really help. Maybe don't do that if you're at work or in polite company or anything.

One takes offence at the suggestion that one may keep polite company.