We recently experienced some flooding that caused damage to many of the homes in my neighborhood. Several of my neighbors have been approached by door-to-door sales people offering carpet cleaning services. Are these types of sales people legitimate?
Dear Kansas Consumer,
Several counties across Kansas have experienced disastrous weather recently, and severe thunderstorm and tornado season has only just begun. Scam artists and transient merchants often flock to areas hit by natural disasters, eager to capitalize on your misfortune.
I encourage all consumers to use extreme caution when dealing with door-to-door sales persons, especially when in a vulnerable situation.
Follow these tips to avoid becoming a victim to door-do-door scams:
- Be wary of out-of-state vehicle tags. It is best to deal only with local, reputable businesses. When hiring a contractor from out-of-state, ask to see their Transient Merchant’s License. If they are unwilling to show this, do not do business with them.
- Watch out for magnetic signs on the side of work vehicles. Temporary signs like these usually contain no permanent business address, often listing only a cellular phone number. They may be hard to locate once your job is finished.
- Verify the physical address of any company before you do business with them. A reputable business will list their physical address on business cards, quotes and any other paperwork you receive. Use caution with companies who only list a P.O. Box or phone number.
- Be suspicious of work vehicles that look rarely used. Successful con artists can keep their trucks nice and new because they never come through with the work they are hired to do.
- Don’t believe estimates that seem “too good to be true.” Scam artists often quote low, only to inflate the price once the bill is tendered, or never to come through with the work at all.
- Use caution with uninvited solicitations. Con men are notorious for soliciting jobs door-to-door with offers to do the job for half the price by using leftover materials, or giving you a special “neighborhood discount.” When you hear such a line, realize you are probably dealing with a transient merchant and will likely regret the “deal” after it is done.
- Don’t pay a large deposit up-front. A typical down payment is one-third the total cost. Beware of contractors who only accept cash payments.
- Don’t allow a sales person or “inspector” into your home before checking them out. Get their name, address and phone number to verify on your own.
As your Attorney General, I am working to keep Kansans safe by spreading information and promoting awareness of consumer fraud issues. For more tips on weather-related scams and other consumer issues, visit www.ksag.org.