Tallahassee Police warn residents against new scam involving door-to-door sales

March 20, 2020

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) -- The Tallahassee Police Department is warning Tallahassee residents of a new scam; it's not coronavirus-related, but it is more effective right now when people are at home to answer their doors.

Officer Kevin Bradshaw says these scams come and go. The latest one involves a person pretending to be from a company such as DirecTV or Comcast; that person comes to your door and offers you a deal, but they tell you it won't last, and request money up front.

After the scammers get your money, they deposit your check or cash, promise to bring a service or product back at a later date, and never return.

"Don't give somebody money right now. If there is any question in somebody's mind, just delay the purchase. If it is a good deal, it will almost certainly not expire in the next 24 hours and that will give the person an opportunity to contact the company and ask them if this is for real," said Officer Bradshaw.

Bradshaw says if it seems to good to be true, it probably is.

“Do you know that this person represents who they claim to represent? Usually if you say hey if you come back tomorrow that will give me a chance to call Comcast call DirecTV, whomever they purport to represent, and they say no we're not doing door to door sales right now, tells you everything you need to know," he said.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is warning against scams involving COVID-19; there is currently no vaccine or preventative medicine for the illness.