Residents in Raleigh and Charlotte have recently reported being approached by door-to-door magazine sellers. The sellers, usually young people, use emotional and high-pressure tactics to try to sell magazine subscriptions. Some door-to-door magazine sales are legitimate, but many are not. The Better Business Bureau has designated door-to-door magazine sales as a “highly suspect” industry.

The young sellers may claim to be local, but often they are bused into North Carolina from out of state. Companies like The Harvest Group and Trinity Public Relations are known to import groups of young people, instruct them on the use of emotional sales pitches, and then drop them off to go door-to-door in neighborhoods. Sellers may claim that they are working to better themselves and their families, or supporting some charitable cause. However, many people who buy a magazine subscription from a door-to-door seller never receive a single issue.

Beware of sellers who use sob stories to sell magazines, and remember your three-day right to cancel. In North Carolina, you have three days to cancel certain purchases such as door-to-door sales even after you sign a contract and pay. To cancel your order, you’ll need to notify the company in writing by midnight on the third business day following the purchase.