• If registered, door-to-door solicitors must provide a three-day right to cancel contracts and provide you with a cancellation form.   
• In addition to needing a Solicitor's ID, home improvement, landscaping and home security service providers must have other local or state licenses. If the license number is not on the solicitor's written materials, ask for the number and then contact the appropriate agency to verify that the license number given is real and actually belongs to the solicitor. Here are the additional licenses required:

1. Home improvement solicitors must have a license from the Maryland Home Improvement Commission.
2. Landscaping and tree service companies must have a license from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
3. Home security/alarm companies must be registered with the County's Police Department. 

We encourage you to keep the following tips in mind to avoid becoming a victim: 

• Don't feel pressured to make a decision on the spot.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Be suspicious of unsolicited offers that require payment up front. Scammers will set a price and require immediate payment, but often will not follow through on the services promised. They may return and request additional compensation and will often fail to provide a contract.
• Don't share personal, credit or financial information.
• NEVER allow anyone you don't know inside your home.

If you notice a suspicious person or vehicle in your neighborhood or if you believe you may have been the victim of a scam, contact the Police at (410) 313-2200. You can also report suspicious door-to-door solicitors via the Office of Consumer Affairs Scam Alert website.

If a crime is in progress, call 9-1-1.