Cathy Dobson
Residents in Point Edward and Sarnia’s north-end are on alert for a suspicious man going door-to-door under false pretenses.
Sarnia Police has had one formal complaint about a man on Edgewater Court Nov. 8 who said he was a sales representative for an Ontario energy company.
“He was very pushy,” said Const. Giovanni Sottosanti. “Police attended and talked to the person who then left the area.”
Other reports about a similar man have been posted on social media, suggesting the man is continuing s to knock on doors and tell homeowners he needs to inspect their furnaces and water heaters.
When the homeowners refused entry, he has persisted and some of the encounters became confrontational.
“It’s a complete scam, to check out your home for a possible break and enter,” one Sarnian noted online.
Some posters say the man identifies himself as an employee of Reliance Home Comfort.
“That’s alarming,” said Brent Artemchuk, a Reliance spokesman. “We have no representatives in your area this month.”
He confirmed Reliance does door-to-door sales in Sarnia on occasion, but said all reps have credentials and wear uniforms with the Reliance logo.
“Everyone who gets a knock on their door like that should ask for identification and if they are uncomfortable at any time, if it’s our representative, they will leave,” said Artemchuk.
The man has reportedly told homeowners he is required to check their furnace to see if it meets government standards.
“We would not take that approach,” said Artemchuk.
Homeowners who feel a salesperson is being too persistent should call the police, said Const. Sottosanti.
“Tell them to leave. Some are legitimate, but they should have identification and a contact number for their supervisor that you can check,” he said.