Door-to-door Water Sales Scams
The Town of Lincoln and Niagara Regional Police Services sometimes receive reports of residents being approached by sales people who claim to represent the Town for the purposes of selling a variety of water related systems and products, including treatment systems and water heaters. These sales people ask to enter residents’ homes to view or inspect their water systems.
Important to note:
There is currently no mandate from the provincial or federal government or the Town of Lincoln requiring residents to install additional filtration equipment on their water systems
The tests and inspections conducted by these salespeople are misleading and the results do not represent the quality of the Town of Lincoln's drinking water
- Drinking water is produced at the Niagara Region water treatment facilities and supplied to homes by the Town of Lincoln. At all points, Town of Lincoln drinking water meets strict provincial standards and is safe to drink.
- The Town of Lincoln conducts regular water sampling and testing throughout the municipality. The test results are available for public information on the Town of Lincoln website and also the Niagara Region website.
- Town employees do not go door–to–door selling water related products
- Any Town employee visiting a residence will carry photo identification, wearing Town uniforms and driving a Town-issued vehicle
- Anyone being approached by those claiming to represent the Town, or asking to enter their home, should request to see official identification, and may call Town of Lincoln to verify the identity of the person
The Ministry of Consumer Services provides the following tips, in relation to aggressive sales tactics:
Don’t sign on the spot. If the salesperson pressures you to sign, insist you need more time to read the contract, including the fine print.
Get it in writing. Ask about rental fees, installation, repair and extra service charges and promises, including warranties, and insist on getting the details in writing.
- Ask for identification. Ask for photo ID, the name of the company the salesperson works for, and to keep a copy of any sales material that the salesperson shows you.
- Be sure before you buy. Once a water system is installed in your home, you will have to pay some costs if you change your mind. These costs include the rental payments still due when you terminate, the expenses the rental company incurs to remove the water system, and charges for unreasonable or excessive wear or use of the water system.
If you have questions or concerns about the supplier of any water system, purchased or rented, call the Ministry of Consumer Services at 1-800-889-9768 or email consumer@ontario.ca.