Summer brings door-to-door salesmen, concerns of possible fraud

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette

Tuesday, June 18, 2013, 9:15 a.m. — A Florida man selling children’s educational products door-to-door in the Bardstown area has prompted a number of calls to police over the last couple of weeks.

The lastest call of a suspicious salesman came the area of Hamilton Court Tuesday morning just after 9 a.m. The man was reportedly asking for homes with children, explaining he was with an organization that would “help them with their homework.”

The salesman, it turns out, is properly licensed by the City of Bardstown for door-to-door sales.

According to the Better Business Bureau, the largest number of complaints it receives come from individuals selling magazines door-to-door.

The BBB offers these tips for dealing with door-to-door salespeople who show up at your front door.

Never allow anyone inside your home. Individuals may pose as sales reps to get in your home, steal something, or look for valuables to come back later and take.

Get the company’s information before you buy. Make purchase decisions later, after doing your research.

Know your rights as a property owner. If you open the door, you have the right to turn them down and close your door.

Be careful with paying the person on the spot. If you pay with cash there’s little recourse for getting it back.

Ask the person for their identification before you open the door. Be wary of high-pressure sales tactics and offers that are only said to be good for a very short period of time.

Get transaction details in writing. A receipt and list of terms and conditions is essential.

Be aware of the “Three-Day Cooling-Off Rule.” The Federal Trade Commission’s rule gives consumers three days to cancel purchases of more than $25 made in their home or at a location other than the seller’s permanent place of business.

People who believe they may be victims of fraud should call the police.

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