The Federal Trade Commission is offering information to help homeowners avoid unscrupulous sales agents who go door-to-door during the summer months. These scammers use deceptive, high-pressure tactics to get people to buy expensive, and sometimes substandard, home security systems they often don’t need.
The FTC advises consumers to ask for identification before allowing a salesperson to enter their home – some states require door-to-door salespeople to state up-front their name, the company’s name, and what they’re selling; others require them to show a sales license and photo ID. The agency also advises consumers to watch for these signs of a scam:
The FTC also advises that, whether sellers come to your door or you seek them out, ask for the contractor’s name, address, and phone and license numbers; what state issued the license; and the name the license is filed under. Check out the company online and with your state Attorney General, local consumer protection agency, Better Business Bureau, and state licensing officials. The FTC also advises:
For more information, see the FTC’s Knock, Knock. Who’s There?Want to Buy a Home Security System? Beware of home alarm sales scams.
WASHINGTON—Acting Senior Deputy Comptroller and Chief Counsel Ted Dowd today testified on the Office of…
The Committee convened in a closed session at the Department of the Treasury at 9:00…
WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of the Treasury is taking action to further degrade Russia’s…
WASHINGTON – The final results from the annual survey of foreign portfolio holdings of U.S. securities at…
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and White House convened a discussion…
As Prepared for DeliveryChairman Smith, Ranking Member Neal, and Members of the Committee: Thank you…