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Over the recent weeks the Niagara Regional Police Service has been contacted multiple times across Niagara regarding door-to-door solicitation.

The investigations have found that some of the persons are law abiding and credentialed.  Other persons have been found to be more suspicious and their intentions questionable.  The suspicious persons may be scammers trying to target vulnerable persons in their homes.

Safety Tips

  • Trust your intuition. If it sounds too good to be true, it likely is.
  • Are they official?  Ask to see and note identifcation.  Look for a uniform and a branded company vehicle.
  • It’s your door. You can close it when ever you want on door-to-door solicitors.
  • If you have a storm or screen door, talk though it.
  • Don’t invite a stranger into your home.  It is not rude to leave a stranger standing outside, it is safe.
  • Provide very limited personal information if any at all.
  • Never be forced into a quick decision at the door.  Take some time to think it over and do some research before signing anything.  Ask for paperwork and a business card so you can look into it and get back to the salesperson. It is a red flag if they will not provide any paper.

Safety Tips for Hiring a Contractor

  • Put it on paper –
    • Details of work requested and agreed upon
    • Dates – start and finish
    • Cost
    • Payment Schedule – 10% Deposit at the start, final full amount upon satisfactory completion
    • Receipt
    • Guarantee / Warranty
  • Get recommendations from people you trust.
  • Find out if the contractor is insured?
  • Get multiple written estimates.
  • Check reference of past jobs.
  • Avoid cash deals.
  • Be leery of unsolicited offers via the phone or door-to-door

 

For more information about your rights at the door click here.