Scam artists still working door-to-door here
By Sylvie Belmond
belmond@theacorn.com

Sharply dressed young people, claiming they are area teens or college students trying to get reduced tuition or win prizes, are canvassing local communities selling books. Don’t buy them, said Mark Sims, a Simi Valley resident who recently fell prey to some slick sales tactics when a young man came to his door.

"People need to be careful," said Sims, who hopes he can help others avoid being victims of trained scammers.

In Sims’ case, the young salesman claimed to be raising funds for a baseball tournament. He appeared to know the area and told Sims that one of Sims’ neighbors was his uncle. Although Sims doesn’t usually buy from door-to-door solicitors, this young man was very convincing, he said. He appeared credible.

The young man, about 18 years old, was selling children’s books and told Sims that a buyer could have the books mailed to his home or donate them to the local Boys & Girls Club.

"The boy was very sweet, he created a rapport, he was clean-cut and wasn’t pushy," said Sims, who ordered $33 worth of books and wrote out a check to Ultimate Power Sales Incorporated (UPSI). But after the boy left, one of Sims’ neighbors came by, asking if Sims had purchased anything.

That’s when the two men realized they may have been scammed.

Sims’ order was to be sent to the Simi Valley Boys & Girls Club, but the address on the receipt was wrong. Sims decided to do a computer search on the company and turned up many articles and websites exposing the organization as a scam.

The next morning Sims cancelled his check. He also called the Boys & Girls Club and learned the club knew nothing about the book orders that were supposed to benefit them.

"The Boys & Girls Club has no partnership or affiliation with an organization named UPSI. Please do not be taken by this scam. If you are contacted by

UPSI, please contact your local law enforcement," said a club spokesperson.

Sgt. Paul Fitzpatrick of the Simi Valley Police said door-to-door salespeople must have a license to work in the city of Simi Valley. This is also true for salespeople in Thousand Oaks and Moorpark. But members of groups such as "UPSI" are recruited out of town, transported in vans and dropped off in neighborhoods.

Fitzpatrick suggested people ask to see a license before they consider buying anything. Most of the complaints in this area are about aggressive salesmen selling magazines, but door-to-door scams have also been perpetrated by people who pretend to be meter readers, he said.

And the victims of door-to-door sales are not only the potential buyers but also the teenagers who are hired by unscrupulous outfits.

Phil Ellenbecker, a Wisconsin resident, lost his daughter in a van crash when she was selling door-to-door with one such group. Ellenbecker is now the director of Dedicated Memorial Parents Group and operates a website created in memory of his daughter and other young people who’ve died while employed by traveling door-to-door sales crews. "The scams usually involve magazine and chemical-cleaner crews that travel across the country selling door-to-door," he said.

Ellenbecker is spearheading efforts to make people aware of the dangers of door-to-door sales. Illegitimate companies recruit young people through promising newspaper ads. They also recruit in malls, at teen events, on the street by pamphlet and while selling door-to-door, he said.

Since hiring new teens has become increasingly difficult, more dangerous people are ending up on crews. The result has been an increase in violence toward other salespeople as well as potential customers, Ellenbecker said.

"We need new laws in place, both state and federal." Ellenbecker’s website at www.travelingsalescrews.com is filled with information about door-to-door scams and the dangers they can pose both to customers and the young sellers.