Beware of door-to-door sales: How to protect yourself from fraud!

In this day and age, it is especially important to be careful when selling valuable items such as gold. The MDR reported that in transactions the goods and their value should always be documented with appropriate receipts. The absence of such documentation can indicate shady dealings that disadvantage sellers and result in them receiving an unfair price for their goods.

A common problem is rogue traders trying to close deals quickly and without traceable records. This is especially risky when thinking about shipping valuable items to online sellers. In such cases, the value of the goods should be insured in the event of a package being lost, and the dealer should be checked for reliability before shipping.

Advice on door-to-door sales

In addition, the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer center warns urgently against door-to-door sales. These could be used by people who spy on valuables in order to later commit burglaries. It should be noted that door-to-door sales result in a valid contract, and consumers usually have a right of withdrawal, such as the consumer advice center informed.

The cancellation period for such contracts is usually 14 days from the conclusion of the contract. When purchasing a product, this period begins with the delivery of the goods. However, if customers have not been informed of their right of withdrawal, the period is extended to 12 months and 14 days. A revocation must be declared to the contractual partner and it is recommended to send a written declaration in the form of a letter or email to the company. In order to secure legal evidence, the revocation should ideally be sent by registered mail. It should also be noted that simply returning the goods is not enough to cancel the contract; a reason for the revocation is not required.