WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — "I had received a text from one of the local neighbors here saying ‘Please don’t answer your door.'"
That's how Washington Township resident Kate Bianchi told us her experience started with the "mystery solicitor" that has been causing a flurry of worry in area subdivisions.
"He's been marching through our back patios and our lawns," said Bianchi.
According to her, and neighbors, the mystery solicitor has been going door-to-door starting conversations by asking about the kids inside the household.
Bianchi said; "He's asking, 'Who is that? How old are they? Or, how many kids do you have? Looks like you have a fresh one on the monitor.' It’s weird."
What's he selling? No one in the neighborhood seems to know.
"We did have someone in the conjoining sub say that this individual came over, with photos of local kids, and used that in their sales pitch to try to get more information from the house," said Bianchi.
Through some research, we found that the individual is a summer intern with Southwestern Advantage.
The individual is selling educational materials for at-home learning.
Trey Campbell, the company's Vice President of Communications said, "What he has been trained to do is go from one home to the next through the referrals. Since he has educational products for families he’s interested in talking to families with school-age children."
However, this isn't the first time complaints have been filed against an intern for Southwestern Advantage.
Our team read city council meeting minutes from the Charter Township of Waterford showing that in August of 2022, the township revoked the peddler license for another intern saying she refused to leave the premises after being to do so and was peddling after 8 p.m.
We also found a recent complaint against another Southwestern Advantage intern in another Metro-Detroit Facebook group.
Bianchi said, "Though I understand maybe this individual is just doing his job, this company should not be influencing any type of sales tactics that involve taking anyone's picture without their permission."
Southwestern Advantage maintained that no photos of children have ever been taken without consent.
We're told that this mystery solicitor is selling these materials to help pay for his own school.
Southwestern said that he is an independent contractor with over 100 hours of training.
When asked if these complaints bring up any concerns for their team Campbell responded; "It doesn’t because I fully believe there is some kind of miscommunication."
"I do blame the company," said Bianchi. "We could have ruined this kid's life, painting him as a monster, and in actuality he’s just following the rules of his company."
