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WAVS – Door to Door Scams

The Competition Bureau of Canada has published the The Little Black Book of Scams 2nd Edition and it is available online at https://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/04333.htm. The information is invaluable and should be of interest to virtually everyone.  Over the next few months we will be publishing the information from the The Little Black Book of Scams 2nd Edition, one scam at a time.   Last week we published Emergency Scams.  Today the topic is:

Door to Door Scams

Knock, knock!  Who’s there?  A scammer!

Despite living in the digital age, there are still some old fashioned scams that come right to your door, posing a threat to you and to businesses.  With this trick, door-to-door salespeople use high-pressure tactics to convince you to buy a product or sign up for a service you don’t want or need.  These aggressive pitches are often for charitable donations, investment opportunities or home services and maintenance of various appliances, like water heaters, furnaces and air conditioners.  In many cases you’ll never receive the product or service promised.  In others, the products or services are of poor quality or not as represented.

Tips to protect yourself:

  • Don’t feel pressured to make a quick decision – take time to do some research on the seller and the products first.
  • Ask for photo ID, get the name of the person and of the company or charity they represent.
  • Ask for the charity’s breakdown of where funds are allocated. Be sure to get this in writing.
  • Never share any personal information or copies of any bills or financial statements.
  • Only allow access to your property to people you trust.
  • Research before you invest. Don’t sign anything and always read the fine print.
  • Know your rights. Contact your local consumer affairs office – most provinces and territories have guidelines under their consumer protection act.

 

If you suspect a scam, always report it.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, managed by the RCMP, the Competition Bureau and the Ontario Provincial Police, has plenty of information on fraud.  Power up today by visiting www.antifraudcentre.ca!

Additional organizations to contact depending on the situation:

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre       1-888-495-8501            www.antifraudcentre.ca

Competition Bureau                  1-800-348-5358            www.competitionbureau.gc.ca

Consumer Affairs                                                          www.consumerhandbook.ca

Securities Administrator                                                            www.securities-administrators.ca

Ontario Provincial Police           1-888-310-1122

 

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