
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, May 1, 1990                   TAG: 9005010093
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: E3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Tammy Poole
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

TIPS ON DEALING WITH DOOR-TO-DOOR SOLICITORS

Complaints concerning door-to-door magazine solicitors who want full payment in cash have been received by the State Division of Consumer Affairs in Richmond.

According to the complaints, when a sale is made, the salesman demands the full payment up front. Any door-to-door solicitor who demands cash should arouse suspicion, advises Betty Blakemore, director of the division.

Last year the division received a number of complaints about young salespeople selling magazine subscriptions in shopping malls. They demanded cash as payment, and consumers never received the magazines.

This type of operation often employs young people, who are recruited from out-of-state, as their salespeople. They are housed in a local hotel, scour the area trying to make as many sales as possible, and then move on to another location. They frequently oeprate without a license and use sales pitches which imply that they are earning money or points toward a college scholarship or other worthwhile cause.

Never buy anything from an unfamiliar door-to-door solicitor with cash or a check written to cash.

The Following are some precautionary steps to use when dealing with an unfamiliar door-to-door solicitor.

Don't make a decision right away. An honest salesperson won't mind stopping back in a day or two after you've made up your mind.

Ask the salesperson for some information - at the very least, get the name, address and telephone number of the company they are working for, and ask to see their business license.

Get a written contract or receipt of some kind which states how much you've paid or are going to pay. Be sure to read the entire contract before signing it. Never sign a contract with blank spaces that could be filled in later by the solicitor.

Consumers should remember they have a three-day-right of cancellation when making a purchase in their home. Cancellations must be in writing and mailed or delivered by midnight of the third business day following the sale.

Most importantly, never pay with cash, a money order or a check made out to cash. If you decide to purchase, insist on writing out the check to the company's name - not the salesperson's name.

by CNB