Destiny Sales LLC Young People Misrepresenting Raising Money for College Trip Phoenix Arizona

Recently I became the victim of a scam that seems to be growing in popularity. A very nice young woman, very friendly and outgoing, came to our house. She introduced herself as Ashley Malone and claimed she was a member of the Women's Soccer Team at Temple University and was raising money to help other team members go on a trip to Holland to compete in a tournament. She said she was one of my neighbors (although I didn't ask her specific address) and not all the girls have the same money as I do, since I live in McLean. She said my mom convinced me it was a good idea to help the other girls out.

She was selling books and magazines from a company called Destiny Sales. The prices were high (minimum $40 plus $15 Process & Handling Service Charge for five books), but I wanted to help out. I tried to give a donation and she said no, but if I wanted to buy books, the company would send them to a school or children's hospital. She also indicated that if I wanted to get a magazine subscription, but didn't really want the magazine, she would send it to her brother's military unit's APO address in Kuwait.

She asked me a lot of questions about my work, saying My mom thinks I need to get inspired' by the people I talk to, etc. She said oh, wow a lot and overall seemed honest. I asked her why there was nothing in the information about the school/soccer team and she said that the team had come up with this idea on their own and it wasn't necessarily endorsed by the school. In the end, I purchased cash a magazine subscription and she left, after giving me two receipts, which she claimed were for my taxes. I looked at them and saw nothing about tax-exempt status. But I didn't think that $49 was a lot of money to worry about claiming tax exemption.

Later, I felt a bit of niggling in the back of my mind. I sent an e-mail to the head coach for women's soccer at Temple University, who informed me it was a scam and that people have been doing this at the Jersey Shore and in Connecticut as well. I tried to contact the company, but have had no response. There is no phone number and the on-line contact us does not include an e-mail either. The young woman did not give me her phone number and although the back of the form says I can cancel within 3 work days, there is no way to contact the seller.

Bottom line: I feel kind of embarrassed. I had that "gut" feeling that something was wrong and it was. I wish I had checked out the company BEFORE I turned over my cash to her! I can't even do a "stop-payment" and of course, there is no way to get my money back now. A $49 lesson in not being so gullible!!!

Anonymous
McLean, Virginia
U.S.A.