LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — What starts as a knock on the door can quickly turn into a costly mistake. A warning today about a door-to-door deal you need to avoid. 13 Action News anchor Tricia Kean speaks with a Las Vegas woman who was the recent target of a scam.
As the weather warms up, door-to-door salespeople are hitting the street. They're trained to get your attention and some are doing it with your personal information.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
"He actually had it on his iPad. So where he got all this information; our names, birthdates and personal information I don't know," says Mary.
It was last month when Las Vegas resident Mary says two men came to her door.
"They went into discussing that they were there to schedule an upgrade to our home security system," she said.
BOTH MEN HAD I.D.
Mary says both men were willing to show ID and were allegedly contracted to fix her outdated ADT equipment.
"He said that our dealer put in 2G equipment... and we were supposed to be getting all new equipment for free... He also had a letter, a handwritten letter to ADT, canceling our service," says Mary.
Her ADT account was allegedly being taken over by a new company. She was told she'd get a small discount and needed to provide her bank information. Mary asked to see on contract but says all they could offer was an electronic copy on an iPad.
DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT
"We had no information. This didn't feel right and they're basically just trying to get us to do an electronic signature," says Mary.
That's when Mary asked them to leave but they tried to convince her she was making a mistake.
"Well if we leave now then you're going to lose all of these free upgrades," says Mary.
REPORTED INCIDENT
But Mary was sure she wasn't interested. Since then, she's reported the incident to ADT and reached out to 13 Action News to warn others.
ADT tells us it's investigating Mary's claim, along with 80 other similar or deceptive sales complaints received from Nevada customers over the past couple of years. If you're approached by similar salespeople, the Better Business Bureau says don't be a victim.
HIGH-PRESSURE TACTICS
"Don't fall for the high-pressure tactics because that's exactly what they are," says Rhonda Mettler with the BBB Las Vegas.
She says a legitimate salesperson should be willing to leave you with product and service information. Be sure to also ask about all charges upfront.
ADDITIONAL COSTS
"You definitely don't want to find out about additional costs on the back end," Mettler says.
She says do your homework before signing any contract. You should find answers to commonly asked questions on the company's website. If you already have a home security system, confirm if you're really free to sign up with a different company.
CANCELLATION POLICY
"Find out what kind of cancellation policy there is," says Mettler.
In the end, if you make a purchase and then change your mind, remember you have rights.
"In instances like this, there is a three-day cooling-off period where you have that time frame to cancel," says Mettler.
FTC COOLING-OFF RULE
The Federal Trade Commission allows customers a chance to cancel purchases over $25 when dealing with door-to-door salespeople. As for Mary, she hopes others learn from her story and question anyone who comes knocking.
"If someone's coming toward the door, recognize they can get your information from a lot of different resources. Verify their story," says Mary.
