Weird conversation @ the door: "Survey on youth"

My bell just rang and I answered it, expecting a package. Instead, I found a guy, mid 20s or so, claiming to be asking for a survey about drug-dependant youth. Thinking this was a bit odd, I none the less agreed to answer his questions. Yadda yadda yadda. Apparently 80% of kids who are addicted to drugs fall back off the wagon; I had guessed 50%. Okay, at the end, he tells me that he's part of a group who are trying to raise funds for the youth who were previously convicted due to their drug dependancies but now are clean and trying to start a new life. He's also one of them. So I'm asked if I want to buy a magazine subscription from him that the funds will go directly to their organisation. I wangled my way out of that, but he continued and asked if I wanted to make a direct donation instead. I said I would if he gave me an official form or something. He says that they aren't allowed officially to ask for donations because they were previously convicted.

So, I guess why I'm writing this, it raised a couple of questions. One, whether this guy was trying to take me for a ride and I successfully avoided that, or whether he was sincere. Two, he said that any youth who has had a conviction (wasn't sure if it was only a drug-related conviction or any) can't apply to further studies or for an apprenticeship until 9 years after that conviction and I want to know if anyone else knows if that is true.

The part about not being allowed to ask for donations officially is what really made me sceptical. Sure, maybe they can't ask directly, but I'm sure others who haven't been convicted would support them and create an organisation that could collect donations. Either way, I didn't give any money, nor was I rude to him, so I'm satified with the outcome for the moment.

Hands off!!! This is an old trick, manipulating you to helping these poor kids, while acutally the kid at the door has to fulfill a certain amount of subscriptions or be disciplined by his subscription pimp. There have been murders in the so-called Drückerszene. Drücker from pushing your doorbell. Give them a firm thanks but no thanks.

this rings a bell i'm sure i've been at the receiving end of almost identical chat a couple of months ago to which i kindly said "fuck off" and closed the door.

i would avoid this showem.

about a month ago, an apparent rep from The Red Cross came to my door and asked me donate money to them via a Standing Order, she was quite forceful and I declined saying I'd think about it but I could give a donation. she also said that wasn't allowed but didn't say why.
I don't like these 'press-gang' techniques where they want you to sign immediately.

Good evening Sir, my name is Steve. I come from a rough area. I used to be addicted to crack but now I am off it and trying to stay clean. That is why I am selling magazine subscriptions.

/Too obscure?

DW, you can call me Ms. Em. No need for Sir.

A bit obscure, but this is a foreign country and things are strange all over.

DW: You don't know anything about money laundering, do you?

@DW
Hummm.. Office Space Maybe

For those who don't get it, it's from a scene in Office Space where Steve the crackhead is selling magazine subscriptions to aid in his rehabilitation. As it turns out he's really an unemployed software engineer who makes more money selling magazines than he ever did in IT.

Trust the Americans to take real life and compare it to a movie.

Proof that life imitates art.

*sage nod*

It's a total scam.. I used to get loads of these types at my door when I was living in Augsburg. I even had one that stuck his foot in the door to try and stop me from closing it, whilst demanding to know why I was not interested in subscribing to such publications as Chewing Gum Lovers Weekly or Trainspotters Monthly...

He removed his foot after a tried to close the door a second time... Well, when I say removed his foot...

Reminds me of OfficeSpace

Yep that's Germany. You think its like your home just because it has similar looking churches but every second you are reminded that it isn't.

Anyone collecting donations via direct debit to your back account are safe. A guy came around a few months ago and wanted a cash donation for some obscure Save the Street Cats fund (he saw my cat-tree next to the door, I bet he had other lines for other pet owners) and got told to bury himself.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drückerkolonne it's all here. Pops up in the news every now and again.

I believe the origin of the term comes from pushing people to make a deal, exerting pressure. Here are other theories: http://www.wer-weiss-was.de/theme143/article2746414.html

P.S. don't forget to scrutinize their collecting license.

We get two or three of these a year leading up to Christmas time. It is definitely a scam in some way. I tell them flatly that I don't do that kind of business at the door or with cold calls over the phone. I want hard copy, verifiable info or forget it.
We have a neighbor that collects twice a year for Caritas and their is no problem with asking for or giving donations. Only the scammers start twisting the truth around until you don't know what you are giving or getting.
Do not give your account info and sign nothing or you will see that deduction go every single month or in one big clean out. Happened to my boss and he didn't catch it for nearly two years and since he signed the form, too bad. They siphoned off quite a bit from him over that time at like 40€ a month with some official sounding name that he thought had to do with his housing contract. The sneaky bastards.

looks like somebody's got a case of the Mondays!!

That's where the license info comes in. If you can, take a copy, that should scare off any scammers.

this actually happened to me last year, a few months after I arrived in Germany, I got rid of them by pretending not to understand a word of what they were saying, even when they were talking in English.

This - together with the Jehovah's Witnesses - is the reason why I never answer the door unless I am expecting someone to be coming over

It's more fun answering the door to Jehova's Witnesses naked with a can of beer in your hand.

i wouldnt rule out the GEZ pulling a scam like this just to look over your shoulder to see a tv!

The license is easy to fake. Tell them to send you info per post and if they don't, tell them to go away. The minute they say they are self employed and there is no "organization" backing them up, then back them up and close the door.

Topsy, you sometimes don't answer the door even when you are expecting someone...

that's what you get for turning up on time, sweetness - you should know that I'll still be drying my hair if you don't give me a 15-minute puffer