Door to door business scams

How the scam works

The suspect provides a quote at a reduced rate and the owner agrees, providing a portion of the money up front. The fraudster does not complete the job and goes on to another victim. Once a contract has been agreed upon, this often becomes a civil issue and may not be a criminal one. This leaves the business owner to take civil court action against someone they don’t know and a company that truly doesn’t exist.

Be aware

Whether you own a residence or a business, you could be a target. Please exercise caution when approached by anyone offering a service or product where money is exchanged before the contract is fulfilled.

Uninvited businesses that operate door to door are required to provide contracts for their services and products. These contracts are regulated by Consumer Protection BC.

Consumer tips

For more information about your rights, as well as general consumer tips around door to door sales, visit the Consumer Protection BC blog. While it does not investigate scams or fraud, if you have questions about your door to door sales contract cancellation rights, contact Consumer Protection BC at 1-888-564-9963.
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