One of those guys came by my house yesterday, too. We said no before he was even able to say what he was supposedly selling, but he did say it was a contest. The magazine subscription contest is a really old scam! A guy tried it in our dorm when I was a freshman in college 30 years ago. They like to tell you they only need a few more subscriptions and then they win something, a trip to Hawaii or something.

The kid who came to my house yesterday had a sheet listing names of magazines, but said that I only had to circle one (again, to earn him points) and give him any amount of money that I wanted.  "Cash, check, or the keys to the car," is what he said when I told him I had nothing on me, and on my second attempt to politely shoo him away as I was in the middle of teaching a piano lesson.  I guess I gotta give him credit for not even pretending I'd get a magazine?

These guys are pushy.  I've encountered them a couple of times in the past few years.  They did the same to me - asked if they could use the bathroom, and asked for a glass of ice water.  I also thought maybe they were trying to case the pace for valuables, and it was a bit strange...

I was in Jackson, WY earlier this summer and the same scam hit up the motel I was staying at. The young women asked to come into the room to use the table. I couldn't imagine what for, so I shut the door on her. Weird.

I'd put (somewhat) less on "casing the joint," and more on the I'll-buy-something-if-you-get-the-F-out-of-my-house sales tactic.

Take their pictures and post them here.

"Why, certainly you can have a flat surface to write on. Just let me get my camera."

They came to my house. I said "no thanks," and they left. No issues whatsoever.

I have a "no soliciting" sign on my door. I often need to explain what "no soliciting" means to solicitors.

A friend of mine had someone visit her garage sale, asked to use the bathroom and stole prescription medicine. (Not related to the magazine kids, but another thing to think about.)

This is not just a Duluth thing, but Kaneohe, HI as well.

Was this the kid you were talking about?