OPP are warning people of door-to-door sales scams.
There has been an increase of sale scams that are leaving people with poorly done renovations, liens or a mortgage.
Fraudsters will come to your door, or call by phone to persuade you into a new appliance, contract or service for your home. If you agree to the services or appliances they offer, they will tell you that you qualify for a grant but it’s actually a mortgage. The funds will be deposited into your account and you’ll be told it’s only for the services or renovations.
You can protect yourself and loved ones by answering your door only if you are expecting an invited guest. Do not allow unsolicited visitors into your home and hang up on unsolicited phone calls.
Also, never share personal information or copies of any bills or financial statements and never make a decision on the spot and do not sign blank documents.
There are also a few red flags to look out for when it comes to over the phone and door-to-door sales.
The person visiting you will say you have won a class-action lawsuit regarding the installation of your equipment and the money can only be used towards renovations to your home. You are told your home is now a ‘green home’ after the installation of some equipment and therefore you qualify for a grant. A condition of the grant is that you can only use the money to do renovations or add more equipment.
If you believe you have become a victim of fraud, contact your local police service and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 (toll-free) or report online on the Fraud Reporting System (FRS). You can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or report the incident online at www.ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
(Written by: Kyla Close)
