PEMBROKE — The Upper Ottawa Valley Detachment of OPP are alerting home and business owners in the Pembroke area of a door-to-door sales scam that has recently been reported to police.
On Saturday, Sept. 23, it was reported to police that an adult female suspect was going to homes and businesses in the east end of Pembroke and selling chocolate bars on behalf of the Pembroke Boys and Girls Club. The Pembroke Boys and Girls Club are not engaged in this type of fundraising.
The female suspect is described as 45-50 years old, wearing a significant amount of make-up. She is about 5ft. 4in. tall with h blonde shoulder length hair.
The public is reminded that before you hear a sales pitch and open your door to a salesperson, remember:
• ask for photo ID and get the name of the person and the business/charity
• never share personal information (e.g, an electricity or gas bill)
• if you ask a salesperson to leave, they must leave right away. If you feel unsafe, call local police
• look at the company name on the salesperson’s business card and promotional material and see if it matches the company name on the proposed contract
The OPP encourage residents to be aware of a resource available to them from Consumer Protection Ontario www.ontario.ca/consumerprotection before they make important decisions like purchasing a home, hiring a contractor or home inspector, renting a water heater and other such transactions.
The Consumer Protection Ontario website also provides consumers with information on their rights when buying from a door to door salesperson and advice to avoid falling victim to shady or unethical contractors or salespeople
In addition to their website, Consumer Protection Ontario may be reached by phone at 1-800-889-9768.
Remember…ask questions and choose carefully!
