“Be skeptical of any offer you receive at your front door:" Take a pass on a door-to-door pitch

MADISON (WITI) -- As warmer weather returns to our state, it also tends to bring door-to-door sales teams to our communities. Alarm systems, windows, magazines, you name it – no product or service is off-limits for their pitches.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) warns homeowners to be on the lookout for these transient crews and to avoid allowing them into your home.

“Be skeptical of any offer you receive at your front door,” said Frank Frassetto, Division Administrator of Trade and Consumer Protection. “Regardless of the pitch, don’t let yourself get pressured into making a quick decision that you may regret later.”

While the salespeople may represent legitimate companies and products, their high-pressure or deceptive sales pitches are problematic. In recent years, sales agents hired by home security companies have traversed Wisconsin communities during the spring and summer months. In some cases, these agents falsely claimed that a homeowner’s current alarm company was going out of business in order to convince them to sign up for expensive systems run by another provider.

To protect yourself from being conned by a door-to-door salesperson, remember the following tips:

For additional information or to file a complaint, visit the Consumer Protection Bureau at http://datcp.wisconsin.gov, send an e-mail to datcphotline@wisconsin.gov or call the Consumer Information Hotline toll-free at 1-800-422-7128.