Have you ever wondered if the people who go door-to-door selling magazine subscriptions or other products are legit? Countless times, I’ve fallen victim to the cry for help from these solicitors. To my surprise, I wasn’t the only one.
Last year, The College of the Canyons advised Santa Clarita Valley residents that door-to-door solicitors, who were identifying themselves as students of the college, were not engaged in any official fundraising efforts for the college.
Apparently, many residents contacted the College of the Canyons to verify claims made by some young people who stated they were students of the college and were requesting donations to support some of the various academic programs.
College of the Canyons stated in a press release in February of 2007, that they do not raise funds for any program through door-to-door solicitation. The young people, to the best of their knowledge were not College of the Canyons students, and were soliciting without the college’s authorization. It seemed to be a fraudulent scheme to sell magazine subscriptions.
In January of this year, deputies arrested two Illinois men on unlawful solicitation charges. Deputies responded to a resident report of two men in the Canyon Country area who were aggressively soliciting homes with door-to-door magazine sales. The men were soliciting outside the lawful hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and both were unable to supply proper licenses. They were arrested and booked at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.
Though individuals can participate in the business of soliciting the retail sale of goods or services, they must, however, abide by the laws that both the City of Santa Clarita and the County of Los Angeles have outlined in accordance with door-to-door sales. The City of Santa Clarita has specific ordinances and regulations in regards to peddling and soliciting. Don’t hesitate to contact the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station at 661-255-1121, if a door-to-door solicitor arrives at your home after 8 p.m. or becomes very aggressive and refuses to leave.
Next time there is a door-to-door sale, make sure you ask if the salesperson has a solicitor’s license. Either the City of Santa Clarita or the County of Los Angeles usually issue these licenses and should display the name of the salesperson.