Sunday, December 6, 2009

From Roseland Heights: Scam Alert!!!

An e-mail from the Roseland Heights Neighborhood Association:
BE AWARE and BEWARE!

Last night W/12-2-09, 'after dark', a white guy and a black guy were ringing bells, attempting to sell 'energy', EVEN though they shouted out (because I never opened the door) that they weren't trying to sell anything. SCAMS GALORE are inundating our neighborhoods. Before they could get too much more out, I shouted, "Not interested!" and slammed the inner door The Holidays are here, and it's the season for scammers to start making their neighborhood rounds. The most common schemes are Holiday classics: ... magazines, information on religion, phone/energy service and insurance.

--It's impossible to catalog all the perpetrators but most scams are the same old song, slightly different verse. Scam Alerts editor Mark Huffman says it's trite but true -- if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Scam artists specifically target older people that own their own homes and live in middle income neighborhoods. There is more money here than in lower income neighborhoods but there is also a lack of coordinated services from contracted service professionals.

These scammers are targeting seniors in particular. They try and sell things like home repair, driveway repair, chimney cleaning, gutter cleaning and tree trimming,” ** note selling door-to-door requires a license in many municipalities, and home repair always requires a license.

RHCA Tips to Avoid Scammers

1. NEVER buy anything from a door to door person, not a magazine, not religion - NOTHING!
2. Always answer the door. Sale scams are sometimes used to see if anyone is home. You don't want robbers breaking in on you thinking no one is home!
3. Never unlock the door. Talk to them thought locked closed door (Ms Whitehead is 100% right)
4. Finally NEVER LET anyone in!!!! NEVER!!!!!

For a complete tour of Scamland, check the scam news below, then examine the Classic Pitch Lines and reader complaints. Use the search box to look for specific scams.

Read more: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/scam_alerts/#ixzz0YjvSEpTp

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