Victims falling prey to high-pressure unsolicited salespeople, report finds

PENSIONERS and cancer patients are among the victims of rogue doorknockers and telemarketers bullying consumers into buying solar panels and other products at ­inflated prices, a report reveals.

ROGUE doorknockers and telemarketers are bullying pensioners and other “soft targets” into buying solar panels and other products at inflated prices.

Some relentless sales pests spend several hours in homes cajoling customers, a report reveals.

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“Aggressive, manipulative, confusing, misleading and persistent sales tactics are not uncommon,”

the Knock It off! Door-to-door Sales and Consumer Harm in Victoria report warns.

“Very often, goods are bought simply to get the salesperson to leave, or so as not to seem impolite.”

The elderly, low-income householders and migrants are most likely to fall prey to sales representatives flouting laws, according to community legal centres.

A woman found a salesperson taking photos of utility bills in her home.

Allegations of appalling behaviour recorded by the Consumer Action Law Centre, Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre and Westjustice include:

A 72-YEAR-OLD pensioner left “shaking and shivering” when a solar panel spruiker refused to leave his home until he agreed to a $8695 system on an unaffordable payment plan.

AN energy retail salesperson let himself into a single mother’s home when a child answered the door. The woman came out of the shower to find him taking photos of utility bills.

A CANCER patient pressured into a “one-day only” solar deal after many hours spent in his house. The $11,500 finance arrangement was unaffordable.

A DISABILITY pensioner couple chased by debt collectors for $15,000 after a solar panel representative wrongly indicated in a contract that one was employed.

A MAN cold-called by a company offering coffee machines with sample coffee for a “once off” $59 payment. Multiple charges were deducted from his credit card.

Community legal centres say problems with unsolicited solar panel sales are systemic. Picture: Thinkstock

Consumer Action Law Centre policy and campaigns director Denise Boyd said misleading solar panel sales problems were “systemic” at the moment.

She said an “opt in” system, where consumers would need to proactively confirm purchase after being contacted for a deal to go ahead, should be trialled.

Currently, unsolicited sales have a 10-day cooling off period that lets consumers “opt out” if they change their mind.

But Ms Boyd said people were not always clearly advised of this right.

The nation’s consumer affairs ministers are planning an economy-wide study of unsolicited sales.

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@KarenCollierHS