Doorstep cold call

Why is it a scam? You liked the painting and must have thought that £20 was a fair price?

Why feel stupid ? You got a picture you like , and a lesson not to buy at the door again .
A few years ago we had "students" selling pictures around the doors , on closer inspection they were prints , very nice prints though , I got rid of them by pointing to one of my "masterpieces" from my efforts at art class hanging in the hall
Some of the " Art " sold in furniture shops would be more expensive

Did he tell any lies about the money going to charity, the pictures being done by people with no hands or such-like? Did your husband buy because of those lies, or was it because he wanted what was offered, and was happy to pay the price asked? And if he did say any of these things, do you know for sure that they were lies? As has been said above, your husband got a picture he liked, at a price he liked - so no problem.

Apparently the scam was that the pictures were not his work but prints. It seems that other people realised this according to the Facebook chat, but we didn't, and I am having problems coming to terms with our stupidity.

£20 isn't all that expensive for a print that you like.

It may be, even though he let you think it was an original, that he was genuinely being enterprising and trying to earn money - like those folk on the street who play an instrument badly rather than just holding their hands out.

This sort of thing does tend you make you feel stupid but it's perhaps nicer to assume that he was trying to make a living rather than to fleece you.

As someone who has bought dishcloths I didn’t need from a young man on my doorstep who had recently been released from prison & was trying to make an honest living, I don’t think you should feel silly or gullible.

£20 isn’t a lot to pay for a nice print that you both like. Put it on your wall and enjoy it

We once had a deaf person come to the door, selling his pictures, as a way of making a living. I think we paid about £15, and this was years ago. Don’t feel stupid, it speaks droves about your giving nature, and you can’t put a price on that?

I don’t think you should feel silly or stupid you liked it bought it and I’m sure you are happy with it, I wouldn’t give it a second thought.

We once had a spate of 'deaf' young men they mumbled, waved their hands about as if signing and pointed to a card with their details. I signed back in BSL with some questions but they bacame very flustered told me where to go and stormed off.

I used to buy oven cloths from a young man who came to the door, but he hasn't been for years.
They were better than the same ones in JL and lasted for ages.

maryrose. I don't think anyone could make money selling originals for £20 anyway, it could be a copy of one of his own or not.
If you like it then enjoy it!

Maryrose
Think yourself lucky that you got a print you like. My OH gives them the money and refuses the pictures/dishcloths etc.

Elegran twice a year DH gets sent the cards, calendar etc from Foot and Mouth Painting Artists and dutifully sends off a cheque. Goodness knows where they got his name from but they just appeared out of the blue many years ago and he must have kept them going over the years!

I think that lot are genuine, though who knows for sure?

Jane10, it sounds like who came to us, but unfortunately we thought he was genuine.

We have a card in our porch asking people not to try to sell us anything which normally works but a few weeks ago a man came and said he was dyslexic. He may well have been but we still didn't buy.

We have a sign saying no cold callers. Cost £6 from Amazon. A few years ago one of those young men was quite threatening. They are a scam, and we did get them calling on a regular basis.

Thankyou for your comments. I really need to just try and forget about this I think and move on. We have learned a lesson. It could have been worse. Have only shared with grans netters as too embarrassed to tell anyone else.

Never mind, write it off to experience. You sound like a nice couple.

Many of us feel that we've been 'taken in' some of the time but you got a picture you like at a fair price. Worse things happen at sea, so don't fret.

You’re not the first and won’t be the last!!
These guys are good at what they do.
You are clearly kind and considered otherwise you would have shut the door in his face.
Let’s hope he puts his sales skills to better use in the future.

No need to feel bad about being kind and honest!

I agree with others, you got a picture you like for a fair price. Don't fret. And I hardly think this guy is going to make a fortune selling prints at the door so give him a break.

I always send a cheque for the Foot and Mouth charity. I can barely draw a pin man, so I admire people who do beautiful pictures using their mouth or toes.
I used to feel embarrassed sending the cards out as I wondered if the recipients thought I was using freebies I hadn’t paid for, but I know I HAVE paid, and hope that others appreciate the work that has gone into them.

MaryRose, I think you are over thinking this.^I am having problems coming to terms with our stupidity.^ You haven;t been remotely stupid. Show me someone who claims that no one has ever got one over them sometime in their life and I will show you a liar.

About 20 years ago, I bought some pictures sold to me as originals and in tatty frames. They are actually knocked off in the far east by painters doing two or three a day and put in industrially aged frames. We all do it at some time in our lives. I liked my fakes, you like your print, what is there to get upset about.

After about 10 years we redecorated the room where they were on display and they were donated to a charity shop. I am quite happy to tell people about how I was misled. They usually respond with their 'caught out' story.

Christmas is coming, worry about that instead.