Tulsa Woman Learns Hard Lesson About Trusting Door-To-Door Salespeople

A Tulsa woman says she's learned her lesson the hard way, after allowing a door-to-door saleswoman in her home, and now she hopes others can learn from her mistakes.

After the saleswoman left, Jill said her wallet and cell phone were missing, and it didn't take long before charges started showing up on her account.

She said she tends to believe the best in people, but that outlook has been seriously challenged after her recent experience. Her desire to help others came back to bite her, and she was so ticked off about it, she tracked down the woman's employer.

Jill was home last Tuesday around 1 p.m., when a woman knocked on her door, saying she was selling books that would benefit children with cancer and those with special needs.

Jill first talked to the woman on the porch and she seemed nice enough. And when Jill agreed to make the purchase, the woman said she didn't have a pen, so Jill invited her inside.

"It's a charity thing, that's pretty cool, and I know door-to-door salespeople have a crappy life, always getting doors slammed in their face. They have a hard job, so I always try to at least be nice," she said.

She said she stepped out of the room maybe 10 seconds and then the woman left. A short time later, Jill noticed her boyfriend's cell phone was missing. The next day, she realized her wallet was missing. It had been in her purse, right next to the couch, where the two women had been sitting.

"I just got this really bad feeling and went directly to the computer and opened up the bank account and checked it, and there were two charges at Walmart.com," Jill said.

The charges were for $268 and $475.

Jill had already shut off the phone, so she called her bank and Walmart, filed a police report, stopped payment on her check, and then tracked down the woman's employer through her receipts.

"When I found out this girl stole from me, I thought, 'How can I make her life suck?' It sounds harsh but she made my life difficult, so let's see if I can return the favor a little," Jill said.

The company sent Jill an email, saying they had terminated the woman's contract.

Other neighborhoods are reporting a great surge in door-to-door solicitors.

According to Tulsa's ordinance, door-to-door salespeople can only work from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. They can't solicit if there are no soliciting or no trespassing signs near the door. They must leave immediately if the homeowner tells them to, and if violators are convicted, they're looking at a $1,200 fine and up to six months in jail.

You need to check the ordinance in your city so you know what protection you have, if any.

Like most victims I interview, Jill told her story because she doesn't want anyone else taken advantage of by this woman or someone like her.