Should Fall River have a “do not knock” registry?

Besides pothole repair, it may be the biggest complaint you hear from city residents. Its door to door solicitors.

Complaints on Fall River Scanner and discussion groups are frequent. Some are concerned at the door knocker’s legitimacy. A few want to warn the public. Others just want them all to go away.

There have also been incidents as recently as October such as this one where a pair came up to a home in Fall River to scam and steal. Being placed on a “do not knock” list may not be a 100 percent guarantee of knowing everyone that comes to your door is a scam, but at the least if you find these type of disruptions annoying, it would happen much less frequently.

The issue is not just a Fall River one. The Marlborough MA Police Department has already created a registry where anyone looking to advertise door-to-door will have to get a license from Marlboro police, and with it, they’ll be given the “Do Not Knock” list of addresses to avoid.

In New Bedford,  City Councilors even took up motions in 2014 to ban these types of companies from doing business in the city:

WRITTEN MOTION, Councilor Martins, requesting, that the Attorney General and our City Solicitor, look into “Just Energy”, who have a bad reputation in Massachusetts for harassing people about their services, representatives from “Just Energy” are ringing door bells and telling people they are from the electric company, “Just Energy” has a troubled past in Massachusetts and in several other States, where they faced allegations of deceptive practices, convincing people to switch over once pressured and once people sign up, they are committed for five years and rates can change every month; and further, requesting, that “Just Energy” be seriously investigated and until they are, they should be banned from New Bedford to better protect our constituents.

If you want a “do not knock” registry in Fall River or where you live. Let your voice be heard!