Latest Door-to-door scam - Water Filters...

[Greatwhite]

I just had a fast talking, VERY pushy guy come to my door and start with the scare tactics of how BAD the water is for us in Ottawa.  Not just to drink, but to bathe in too.  He was trying to sell an overpriced "whole home" water filter - but because they are so expensive and "no one can afford them", they were offering to have it on my Enbridge bill for $1/day.

He "wanted to test my water to see if we NEEDED the filter"... And came in with a little packet that turned the water pink.  Woooo.. It's pink water!!!  He explained that there was chorine in the water, and that's what turned it pink.  "The city puts chlorine in the water to kill bacteria and keep the water safe to drink"....  SO I had to call him on it... I said "So you've now said chlorine 6 times...  Don't you mean chloramine?"  "oh - ya, same thing"... mmm hmmmm...

Immediately, he says "Ok, I just need to see your water main, to make sure you qualify"...  Sure.. I take him to the basement where he explained how the water line before the meter is owned by the city, and after the meter is mine...  Great.  Why did you have to look there to tell me that??

Suddenly he produced a contract/order form to have the thing installed next week.  I said "whoah whoah whoah -- who said I even WANT this thing?"  His answer was "oh, this is the best thing you can do for your house..." and continued filling in the form.

I kindly asked him to leave me a brochure and his name & number so that I could research the thing and call him if I'm interested.  Surprisingly, he did leave his info.  He referred me to the better business bureau, where they "have an A rating"  (I looked, it's A-, with only complaints and they are NOT BBB ACCREDITED)

Anyways.. I Googled Greenlife Water Filter and came upon lots of complaints about this scam.  Basically, the only thing that I see "wrong" is that they are selling overpriced water filters to people, and pushing them into a $30/month contract for 5 years.

I NEVER trust a door to door salesman...  If there is something that I want, I will go looking for it.

[xenon]

$1825 is actually REALLY good if its a whole home reverse osmosis system.

I bypass the DI for drinking water on my RO/DI system and its fantastic.

From my understanding, chloramine is basically chlorine and ammonia combined. Not very tasty. If its just a chloramine filter, OMG its totally overpriced.

[exv152]

You're actually quite brave to let the guy through your front door. I'd be too worried he's looking to scope the place out for valuables. The only thing I'm willing to buy from door-to-door sales are girl-guide cookies.

[lucius]

Nex time, tell him to test the toilet water. 

+1 on not allowing anyone in unless you initiated.

[sas]

I'm in the same boat, nobody gets through my door unless I know you, or I've called you to do some maintenance on the house ie) furnace, plumber etc..

[veron]

well, not knowing what product he is selling I can't say much but,,,it sounds like a prefilter with possible
carbon installed after the meter.
who's responsible to change the filters? They's have to be changed probaly monthly to have any affect.
You'd need a GOOD RO system to have any real positive effects on drinking water. That would be costly
if installed on the water main lol.
There has been alot of info and study's of the effects of chlorine and its not good so he is partially correct.
I'd be more worried about the stupid fluoride that is input into our drinking water.
bottom line, drink RO water and don't sign no contract.

[Greatwhite]

I looked briefly at the filter info online at greenlifewater.com...  It is a 3 stage filter. 5 micron prefilter followed by a copper and mineral filter that supposedly removes chlorine, and then coconut husk carbon...

Now, from what I have heard, coconut husk is bad because of the chemicals used to process it having a chance to leech into the water. I don't know if those concerns are justified, though.

My main problem with the deal is "renting" the unit. I would rather just buy one flat out and not have the monthly payment.

And according to the guy, THEY replace the filters on a schedule.

[veron]

I would definatly pass. If you want then install a good RO system with drinking kit at your
kitchen sink. This is all you need.
You could also install shower filter for chloramines. I've try'd them and there pretty good.
other than that Ottawa has really decent water.

[exv152]

RO and DI units are really a matter of personal choice. Both methods cost more though. An RO unit wastes 75-90% of the water it processes, and a DI costs on average about 6 cents of electricity per litre of water it boils. Both methods strip the water of both the bad and the good (Ca, Mg etc). Whether the extra treatment of our tap water is necessary, in my opinion, is really a matter of personal choice.

[Severum]

Door-to-door scams are worse than selling a home...

I once let the Direct Energy guy into my place. I felt like a tool after a realized what was going on. I won't let that happen again.

[az]

good deal - you have to find them, bad deal - they find you.

[sas]

good deal - you have to find them, bad deal - they find you.

Well said az.

[exv152]

good deal - you have to find them, bad deal - they find you.

+2, words to live by.

[Greatwhite]

I once let the Direct Energy guy into my place. I felt like a tool after a realized what was going on. I won't let that happen again.

I once "spoke" to a person claiming to be from Enbridge, wanting to get me on a price protection plan.  I told him that I was fine paying whatever I was paying at the time, because I didn't like that his rate was HIGHER than the current rate and that he was GUARANTEEING that the rate was going to skyrocket in 6 months so I had to lock in now!!!

I got a call 8 days later to confirm that I signed a contract with Universal Power Consortium or something...  Yeah, I cancelled that IMMEDIATELY.

A few months ago, when the "time of use" stuff was coming up with the hydro company, everyone was preying on people's paranoia and trying to get them to sign up for flat rate too.  A friend posted on Facebook the details for her dad, who was selling this crap.  I called him on it, and got into a heated debate...  It turns out that he was on the bottom of a pyramid scheme and was sure that he'd make millions by "taking a little off the top" of the bills.. But then there was someone taking a little off what was left, and about 7 levels of "taking a little off the top" turned into a HORRIBLE deal.  Yeah, I'm not too popular with that guy anymore.

[lucius]

Same thing happened to me. 

I had just moved into my new place and I had been reading up on various scams and such so I was prepared.  He was trying to sell me a better rate for my electric bill, kept trying to compare my electric bill to my mortgage and how I needed to lock into the lower rate ASAP.  I told him that I didn't understand because I had no mortgage...it was a lie but he didn't know that.    I was polite and kept telling him that I wasn't interested but he would not leave.  I ended up telling him how I had been reading online and what he was trying to do/sell was a scam.  He went ballistic...kept flashing his ID, angrilly saying that it is not a scam.  He eventually left but he had this bewildered expression while walking away.  I don't think anyone had ever called BS on him before.  Haven't seen anyone else since. 

[Greatwhite]

My neighbourhood is full of old people...  It's equivalent to a bucket of chum over a shark tank to these people.  I have no idea how many water filters the guy signed people up for, but it seemed like alot - since he kept using the phrase "see if you qualify" which psychologically 101 will tell you gets you thinking that you are qualifying to WIN something. 

"I need to see your recent Enbridge bill..." and "test the water..." and "see the water main..."  +  "... to see if you qualify"

WOOOOO!!! I qualified 3 times!!! I am sure to win it free!!!

This guy was 1 step better than the "Windows Tech Support" calls I get -- from Delhi.

[Stussi613]

This guy was 1 step better than the "Windows Tech Support" calls I get -- from Delhi.

I got one of these the other day, I'm an IT guy so I played dumb for 45 mins saying "I don't see the start button" "I can't find My Computer" "I can't find the control panel"...eventually I said "are you sure Apple iPad has a start button" and he lost his mind.  Apparently they don't get paid when you keep them on the phone for a long time and you aren't even in front of a computer 

[Nerine]

Those water filter people called us!! they wanted to set up a meeting (because we live so far out??) I said no after chatting awhile with them...she tried to tell me about the chemicals added to our water, and it finally got thru her head we have a well....not city water!

[Greatwhite]

I got one of these the other day, I'm an IT guy so I played dumb for 45 mins saying "I don't see the start button" "I can't find My Computer" "I can't find the control panel"...eventually I said "are you sure Apple iPad has a start button" and he lost his mind.  Apparently they don't get paid when you keep them on the phone for a long time and you aren't even in front of a computer 

I think they are going alphabetically through the 613 area code.  I got the call, and let the poor guy on the other end of the line have it...  I just got an email from my dad saying that he was out, and he walked in the door just as mom was giving remote access to their computer to someone.  ARGH.  He grabbed the phone, swore at the guy, and pulled the plug on the remote connection.  Hopefully he was able to get it shut down before anything 'bad' happened.

[robt18]

Doesn't really sound like a true scam, just a pushy salesperson... Although I don't see how bathing in water with chlorine is so bad for you

Ottawa city water does in fact have both chlorine and chloramine in it.... relatively low doses of each.

Watch before you sign contracts! If you get locked in and then realize you're overpaying then you're in trouble... but it sounds like a legit company trying to overcharge for something. Research and reading fine print will protect you from almost anything.