We came across this article about the police and mayor of Belleville, New Jersey, warning residents about door-to-door water testing scammers.
Detectives posing as homeowners said that a woman tried to tell them that they would need a filter system for every faucet in the house and that it would cost them around $12,000. They also observed that the salespeople were aggressive and claimed to work for the township or the state.
Belleville is one of the many towns in New Jersey that have experienced lead in their drinking water.
We researched door-to-door water testing scams, and here is what we found.
How to Spot a Scam
There are many different ways you can be scammed. Here are some signs that you’re dealing with a scammer.
- Door-to-door: Salesmen tell you that they will test your water for you. These are signs of scams if they are pushy about testing your water, claim to work for the government, or do not have a permit.
- Tablets or Droplet Tests: Some representatives may add tablets or drops to your water and tell you that if it changes color, it’s contaminated. They could be adding anything to get you to buy their water treatment system.
- By mail or phone: A company might not even come to your home or ask to test your water. They may send you a test tube that you must send in, and then they might call you and offer you a water purifier as part of a more significant promotion.
Beware of Free Home Water Tests
- Not all companies offer legitimate water tests. If a company offers “free water tests,” it might be trying to sell you an expensive water system, whether you need it or not.
- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns people to avoid “free” in-home water tests.
Disregard Government, Water Quality Association Claims, and/or EPA Registration
- This is a sales tactic if a company claims to work for the government (state or local). The government does not endorse water tests or water treatment products.
- If you see an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration number, it does not mean the product has been tested or approved by the EPA.
- The Water Quality Association (WQA) has offered standardized training and certification programs for the industry for over forty years. In 2017, they issued a statement calling out scammers who claimed to work for them: “The Water Quality Association does not solicit door-to-door, period.”
How to avoid Door-To-Door Water Test Scams
Here’s how to make sure that you are not scammed by door-to-door water testers:
- Do not let salespeople inside your home.
- They must have permits and be easily identifiable if they are attempting to solicit you for something.
- Additionally, if you suspect a salesperson does not have a sales permit, uses deception or strong sales tactics, or makes you uncomfortable, please contact the authorities.
How to Safely Test the Water in Your Home
- Order an at-home water test kit.
- Have your water tested by a state-certified lab (WQA recommendation).
- You can search for Information on Certification Programs and Certified Laboratories for Drinking Water here.
Search Certified Programs & Labs
- Water treatment products that have been third-party certified ensure that they meet stringent quality standards (WQA recommendation).
- Look for the WQA Gold Seal to ensure the safety and reliability of water consumption products. This prestigious accreditation program is recognized by notable organizations, such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC).
- The WQA Gold Seal aims to assure consumers that the product meets high quality and safety benchmarks. This program exists to protect public health. The gold seal means the product is endorsed and contributes to safe and healthy water consumption.
- You can search for WQA-Certified Treatment Products here. This resource helps you find trustworthy products backed by third-party validation.
Find WQA-Certified Treatment Products
- You can contact your local water treatment plant to get information about the quality of your water.
We hope this blog post helps you identify door-to-door water testing scams and ways to avoid them.
Brandon says
Karla, thanks for sharing! You definitely have to be careful nowadays. Take care!
Karla says
I recently had 2 encounters with 2 different men. They both only spoke Spanish and said that they received that my zone had high levels of chemicals and that they offered a free water test. I said no, after the first guy came it was super suspicious, the 2nd guy was even more suspicious as I was watching him thru my camera , he kept looking around my house as if he were looking for cameras or something. I hope no one falls for this. Be vigilant
Brandon says
We appreciate you sharing with us Neshia! We’re glad to hear you didn’t share any vital information. It’s important to be careful about door-to-door scammers.
Homeowner says
I just had a water company testing associate come to my door in Hubert NC about a week ago. I thought it odd that they came to my door when I just moved in to a home I purchased and have had this home inspected up and down prior to move in. They also only stopped by my home and no one else’s. We have a no soliciting private community. Anyways they came to the door asked for a sample I should have asked for a badge or something. Their whole spill she had to read off was off her clip board like she forgot her reasoning for being here. A couple days later I get a call from a number not tied to the local area at all he spoke really fast telling me there were high concentrations of chlorine and would like to schedule to come into my home that day or the next. He was asking me how many people lived there it was very odd. I didn’t give him any information nor did I schedule the follow up and he hung up.
Katie says
Cesar,
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re so glad that you took the time to investigate this. We all must be careful when things like this.
Cesar says
Today a couple of people will arrive at 7 pm saying that they would make an appointment for me to come into my house to check the water, all very suspicious, they gave me a card from the Water Quality Association company, and I began to investigate about it. said company which warns that it does not have any door-to-door or telephone service this happened in allentown Pennsylvania I hope that people are alert with any method of aggressive sale of products that are not necessary
Katie says
Torroell,
We are sorry to hear that you and your wife were victims of this type of scam. Thank you for sharing a link to the blog detailing your experience.
Katie says
Daisy,
WOW! Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We are so sorry to hear that happened to you. We are so glad to hear that you sought help to figure out what was going on. You probably saved many more people from making a very expensive mistake. Thank you for taking action!
Daisy says
I had this occur to me here in northern Virginia just last night (March 20,2020). The salesperson was a Hispanic woman in her mid 20’s carrying an iPad in which she used to showcase me a list of new homeowner’s names and addresses within the area. She explained that due to my last name being Hispanic, her company determined to send her under the assumption that I would need a Spanish speaker. She proceeded to ask many personal questions. I called my neighbor to research her legitimacy. After my neighbor called the police, we discovered the woman was driving a vehicle registered under a man’s name. Additionally, she stated she lived in Germantown, MD which is approximately 40 miles away. The police came, discovered her company had but merely a website and asked her to leave. Never allow these people in your home. Aside from trying to sell you something, you never know what information they are trying to gather from you.
Katie says
Fred,
Thank you so much for reading our blog. We are happy to hear that you learned something from it. Thank you for being a customer and for being the best part of the FiltersFast.com Family! We appreciate you!
Katie says
Rich,
Thank you so much for reading our blog. We cannot believe that this happened in Belleville recently and that it is starting to happen in other places too. Thank you so much for your service!
Fred says
I did not relaize this was a thing. Glad you brought it to my attention. I love your company by the way, and will continue to be a loyal customer. Fred
Rich says
Very true story I just retired from Belleville Police Department in NJ.