The Better Business Bureau of Southwest Missouri is warning local homeowners against possible scams involving two companies.
In one incident, a Springfield consumer said a salesman with Xtreme Chemical Co. of Plano, Texas, came to her door selling cleaning products. The consumer gave the salesman $50 and was told her product would be delivered within two hours, but the salesman didn’t return and the consumer’s attempts to reach Xtreme Chemical were unsuccessful, according to a BBB news release.
BBB records show that the company has an “F” rating with the organization, and consumers have filed 50 complaints, four of which are considered serious and 29 to which the company hasn’t responded, the release said.
A separate incident involved an Ozark consumer who said a man with B. Rafferty Sealcoating came to his door and offered to seal his driveway for a favorable price. By the time the consumer realized the work wasn’t satisfactory, he was unable to contact the business at the number provided. BBB also has been unable to track down the business owner, the release said.
The BBB has provided several tips to avoid door-to-door scams. Among them:
• Don’t let all door-to-door salespeople into the house. While there are legitimate salespeople that still make door-to-door visits, consumers should be very cautious by not allowing any unexpected guests into their home.
• Pay attention and listen carefully to what the door-to-door salespeople say. If you think that the salesperson may be lying, ask for the name of their school, company, or association that they are representing, along with their contact information. Verify that this salesperson is actually associated with the group, and then verify that the company is legitimate by checking with the BBB.
• Ask the salesperson to give you everything in writing, including return or warranty information. Tell them that you’d like to verify everything first, then get back to them. If you don’t feel comfortable or see a neighbor being harassed by a salesperson, call the police.
• Don’t be pressured into anything. Salespeople might try using high-pressure sales tactics in order to sell their products. Don’t cave in to pressure from phrases such as, “This offer is only valid for today,” or “I won’t be in this area again.”
• Pay with a credit card. If there’s a scam, buyers can refute the charges with the credit card company, but when cash is used, it can be impossible to get the money back.
• The Federal Trade Commission’s Three-Day Cooling-Off Rule gives the customer three days to cancel purchases for more than $25 that are made in their homes or at a location that is not the seller’s permanent place of business. Along with a receipt, salespeople should also include a completed cancellation form that customers can send to the company to cancel the agreement. By law, the company must give customers a refund within 10 days of receiving the cancellation notice.
Those who feel they have been scammed can file complaints with the BBB at
BBB.org/complaint, the release said.
