Beware of door-to-door home alarm sales during the summer, police warn.
Leesburg, Va., police said some out-of-state alarm companies stretch the rules to make a quick buck while avoiding Virginia’s requirements. The companies hire temps who are usually college students minimally trained with no background in alarm sales, monitoring or services.
The temps may use high pressure tactics and sell relatively inexpensive alarm systems.
The commonwealth regulates all alarm companies and their employees, including sales staff.
The Town of Leesburg also requires all solicitors to have a Town of Leesburg solicitor’s license. Anyone who possesses a Town of Leesburg soliciting permit must abide by the following rules:
- No person shall canvass, peddle, or solicit except between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
- Peddlers, solicitors, and canvassers shall provide a written receipt to the payee bearing the amount of payment,
- The balance due and terms of payment, and the purpose for each transaction at the time of the transaction.
- No person shall approach a home, residence, or business for the purpose of peddling, or soliciting, where such home or residence is posted with a sign stating “no peddlers or solicitors” or words of a similar meaning.
- No person shall make any assertion, representation or statement of fact that misrepresents the purpose of his/her call on a home, residence, or business or use any plan, scheme, or use which misrepresents such purpose.
- No person licensed under this chapter shall use the fact of being licensed so as to lead the public to believe that such licensing represents an endorsement or approval by the Town.
