Tuscan Readers Services Bogus Charitable Claim - Contributing to College Fund Buford Georgia

I am somewhat ashamed to say that they got me and my husband in two successive days. The first individual was well presented and informed my husband that this company (TRS) would contribute to his college fund if he were to purchase either a magazine subscription or a book from their catalog. My husband gave him a $40.00 cash donation and told him to donate the book also.

The very next night (whilst my husband was out of town), another young man came to our door. This individual looked pityful (obviously did his research !) and look really down on his luck. He informed me that he worked for a company who would donate to his college fund ($1,000.00 if he sold 3 more books). I am legally qualified from the UK and asked him for the charity identification and authorization to sell door to door.

He retorted that the company failed to supply him with these documents but had a sales sheet, invoices a glossy color brochure. My gut feeling was not good but, with a busy toddler trying to escape out of the door, I wrote the check ($40.00). I did ask about his career goals and to what college he wished to attend - he informed me he wished to be a dancer at the Philadelphia College of Arts. I am English and American schools really mean nothing to me.

I feel I was scammed here because the individual in question looked like he slept on the streets, my heart went out to him. On their invoice (which they leave with you) on the reverse is their cancellation policy. I complied with their three day cancellation notice (yet another $16.25 fee for express mail) as I feared I was contractually bound to except the publications. I informed my banking establishment to stop the payment which they duly did.

I truly hope this post helps stop any further fraudulent transactions, I presume that by the time one finds oneself on this site, sadly the damage is done. Like an earlier reader, I fear for my bank account details, they do have my account number. I work for a law firm in Maryland and did write TRS a letter informing them of the criminal act of their employee (grounds of misrepresentation).

This company is clearly ran by a criminal and much like similar companies, they get shut down and re-emerge under a different name somewhere else. What is a great shame here is that it makes us not want to give to charities at all. In future I will ask that they leave the documentation with me, I shall undertake the research and, if all is well, will then consider giving. Sad, but true. I do not know how these people sleep at night. Whatever happened to integrity and honesty ? Ce la vie !!!

Shereen
Abingdon, Maryland
U.S.A.