Door-to-door activity reported to Sheriff's Dept.

Questionable door-to-door sales tactics have been knocking on the Friendly Village these days and prompting a flurry of calls to the Fallbrook Sheriff’s Substation.

Some young adults soliciting magazine sales over the past two weeks have raised suspicion with many residents, leading to the calls to law enforcement officials.

“There is a company in Escondido that somehow employs these kids and I don’t know if they do a background check on them,” said John McLelland, crime prevention specialist for the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. “These companies drop off the kids and these kids use a number of misleading techniques to gain sales.”

Last Friday morning (March 21) alone, the station received four complaint calls, reported McLelland.

“The latest complaint is about a gentleman in his early 20s who somehow procured a business card from a person at the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce office,” said McLelland, “and is using this person’s name as a selling ploy.”

This same young man has in his possession two purported checks from people who say they never issued them, said McLelland. “One lady called me and said, ‘I never gave him a check, but my neighbor saw one with my name on it.’”

False checks can appear real, especially with the improvements in computer software and printers in recent years.

These salespeople, explained McLelland, will often use a range of stories, like they are working their way through college, doing fundraisers or helping cancer victims.

Although many residents have called in with their concerns, McLelland said, “So far, technically, there is no violation in the law as we can see it.”

The reason this is, says McLelland, is that residents did not call the Sheriff’s Department at the time of the incident and call for a deputy. “After it’s over and done with, we have no chance of finding this person; people must call us as it is happening.”

To date, none of the incidences are under investigation because no one has filed a formal complaint.

According to the Sheriff’s Department Licensing Division, people who are doing door-to-door solicitation, peddling magazines or other wares, must obtain a solicitor’s permit.

With all this “knocking at your door” commotion, McLelland offers the following advice: “My standard rule is if you don’t know the person on the other side of your door, then don’t open your door!”

McLelland also recommends that if a resident wishes to support a particular type of endeavor, “go to the local branch of that place and make your donation.”

Members of the Boren family, longtime residents of Fallbrook, were approached by a particularly affable, enthusiastic young salesman on St. Patrick’s Day. He presented himself as a student from San Diego State University.

“He said he played the trumpet in a jazz band and he would be in KPBS one day next month; he was doing some fundraising,” said Daryl Boren.

The salesman told Daryl he would be willing to return back to perform household chores to pay back the money donated.

“This young guy was very outgoing; you almost felt like you needed to give him some money because he sounded like a young man trying to get on with his life,” said Daryl.

Daryl grew suspicious when, during the conversation, the salesman showed him checks from three neighbors. “I thought that was strange,” he said.

The young man was using the name Stafford Barker, said Susan Boren.

The following day, their neighbors communicated with each other about the young salesman.

“We put it all together and realized what had happened,” Susan said.

They discovered that one neighbor did issue a check, but two others that the salesperson had offered for viewing never did.

It has been reported that some salespeople are asking for checks to be issued in the name of South Coast Circulation in Escondido; others are requesting checks be issued in the salesperson’s name.

Since their March 17 visit, Susan Boren has been researching South Coast Circulation. She says she found negative information when researching the name with the Better Business Bureau.

She also received confirmation that Stafford Barker was not on the band roster at San Diego State University.

Bryan Ransom, the director of athletic bands at San Diego State University, has been receiving phone calls from Fallbrook residents.

Callers have voiced their displeasure regarding rude students selling magazines for the school’s band.

“These callers had assumed this was a legitimate thing,” said Ransom. “I informed these callers that we don’t do any fundraisers of that nature.”

McLelland warns residents that these young salespeople, typically between the ages of 18 and 25, are suave and smooth.

“Remember, call us at (760) 728-1113 when you have a problem, when the incident is happening,” he said.