Beware of aggressive sales tactics

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff writer

Door-to-door salespeople typically increase in Kootenai County neighborhoods each summer, and the alleged aggressive style of one man landed him in jail this week.

In another recent case, a Coeur d'Alene senior citizen who said he had just been released from the hospital and was on medication took a steamer salesman to small claims court to be reimbursed more than $4,000 for what he deemed to be a fraudulent sale.

In the incident that led to an arrest, Oliver Simpson, 20, listed as a transient according to law enforcement records, was arrested on Tuesday in Post Falls for aggressive soliciting, soliciting without a permit, marijuana possession and possession of paraphernalia with the intent to use.

"When (the resident) told (Simpson) no he said he yelled, 'Is it because I am black?'" the police report states. "As (Simpson) was leaving, he hit (the resident's) wind chime and then once again yelled back at him, 'Is it because I am black?'"

The resident told police the swipe at the wind chime was so hard it made the tubes hit the soffit of the house.

"I simply said that I just wasn't interested in the product and that it had nothing to do with color and that he was the one making it about race," the resident wrote in an email to police. "He then went to our neighbors and was very rude to them also."

Simpson, who was selling cleaning products, told police he did not have a permit, but his boss did.

"He said he did not know his boss' name nor could he provide me with a phone number to contact his boss," the officer wrote in her report.

Simpson also told police he did not have photo identification.

Simpson had been contacted several times in the past two weeks by Post Falls officers stemming from aggressive soliciting and suspicious calls, the report states. He was also warned multiple times against soliciting without a permit.

City law requires all door-to-door salespeople to apply for and receive a permit through the city.

In the steamer case, Bruce Miller claimed he asked the salesman to leave but the man didn't and, after two hours of high-pressure sales, he caved in with the purchase to get the man out of the house.

Miller said the next day he realized he had made a mistake and tried for three straight days to get hold of the salesman.

"Finally on day four he returned my call only to inform me that I had just conveniently missed the three-day cutoff window," Miller said, adding he argued the contract was invalid due to him being under medication.

Miller said he was pleased the matter was ultimately settled out of court.

"I returned the steamer and I got reimbursed in full," Miller said "That's all I ever wanted."

Miller said he tried to settle the matter with the company and was disappointed he had to take it to court.

Miller said, in hindsight, he wishes he would have never let the salesman in the door.

"Once they're in your house, you're trapped," he said. "I had just gotten out of the hospital the day before, so I was in no shape to let him in. Once you open the door and let someone in, you put yourself in a compromising situation."

The salesman, who signed the contract with Miller as "Vern/Vern/Vern," could not be reached for comment on Friday.

Post Falls Police Capt. Greg McLean said every year around this time, large vans with out-of-state license plates are at area hotels transporting groups selling products ranging from magazines to cleaning products.

"I'm not saying it's them, but our vehicle burglary rates also typically go up around around this time," he said.

McLean said it's a good idea to post "No Soliciting" signs if residents don't want to be approached about door-to-door sales.

"That also helps our investigations," he said. "If there is a sign, people should turn around and walk way."

McLean said, if possible, residents should also keep a screen door closed between themselves and the salesperson. He said if the person becomes verbally or physically combative, call police.

"The best thing to do, if you're not interested, is to say 'no' and close the door," McLean said.