Ward Parkway Plaza Neighborhood Association

Door to Door Solicitors

With the recent warm weather, door to door solicitors are starting to once again visit the neighborhood.  Common pitches involve magazine sales, alarm systems, "student" projects and charitable groups.  Some are legit, unfortunately a significant number of others are not.

Below is information from multiple internet sources you may find useful.  Be aware and be careful!  

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Many solicitors employ high school and college students who are in need of employment.  They are given plausible sales pitches and then shipped out to different neighborhoods (often in different cities or states) to visit one residence at a time. In some cases the actual salesperson/s may not even be aware of the fraud that their employer may be perpetrating.  Though it's a good intention to try to help these kids, you should report sales crews in your area to the local police.  Your most important priority should always be the safety of you and your family.

Beware of an emotional sales pitch by someone selling door-to-door.  They may claim to be a local student (usually untrue) trying to get their life back on track, or trying to raise money for a school trip.  Others may say that they are raising money for a charity, to earn points for a scholarship, or to win a contest.

Whatever the pitch, don't let yourself be hurried, intimidated, or coerced.  Remember, the salesperson is at your doorstep uninvited and remains there only at your courtesy. Ask for proper identification and be careful about letting them into your home.

Be wary of any offer that includes "referral sales".  A referral sale is when a seller offers to pay you a certain amount of cash or promises a discount if you give him the name of friends who might buy his products. And lastly, get everything in writing, especially the total price and all the conditions that apply.

Bottom line for all these solicitations: When in doubt, keep strangers out.  You're under no obligation even to answer the doorbell. If you do, never offer access to your home or wallet. Never provide answers to personal questions.  Better to be rude than scammed.

Legitimate door-to-door vendors, including those collecting for charities, will usually have "leave-behind" materials for your review.  With a phone call or Internet search, you can judge whether the outfit's legitimate.  If you buy from a legitimate door-to-door seller and quickly regret it, federal law allows you three business days to cancel and get a full refund on most purchases of $25 or more that are made in your home.  Along with a receipt, legitimate door-to-door sellers should provide you with a cancellation form. If they don't, assume you've been scammed.