Pocatello Police: Be Careful Around Solicitors

Warmer weather brings door-to-door solicitors, and the Pocatello Police Department is providing residents with safety tips.

A person or company wanting to solicit door to door in Pocatello must register with the city?s licensing department, police said Tuesday. Solicitors pay a fee and can register as many salespeople as they want, but there are no individual licensing and background checks completed on each salesperson.

Here are some tips to saying safe this summer:

— If you do not know the person knocking at your door, you do not have to open it. If you have a screen door or storm door, consider using the lock to keep aggressive solicitors from opening the door and ?getting a foot in the door? whereby you feel obligated to purchase so they will leave.

— If you are unsure if solicitors are legitimate, ask for identification verifying that they are employed by the company they claim to work for. If they don?t have any ID, don?t give them any money, and tell them to leave.

— If a solicitor refuses to leave after being asked to or becomes irate, shut the door. If the solicitor still doesn’t leave, call 911. If possible, take your cell phone or cordless phone to the door with you so you do not leave the person unattended at your door when you need to call the police.

— If you don?t feel comfortable giving the solicitor money, don’t. Do not let anyone ?guilt? you into giving them money or buying their product.

— If you?ve already purchased something from a solicitor and have paid by check and no longer feel comfortable with the transaction, cancel the check as soon as possible.

— Do not believe stories such as ?I live in your neighborhood,? ?My car is broken down just around the corner,? etc. If you don?t recognize this person as one of your neighbors, he or she probably is not. If the solicitor’s car is truly broken down, offer to call a tow truck or the police for assistance.

— At no time should you let any of these people in your house, not even to use the phone, police said.

— Do not hire anyone who comes to your door offering to clean your house, do home improvements, etc. and do not give them any money before they do any work.

For emergency situations with a door to door solicitor, call 911 immediately, police said. If the solicitor leaves without incident but you still have concerns about his or her behavior, contact Pocatello police dispatch at 234-6100.