Elsderly residents concerned about pushy salesmen can contact police to check their credentials.
A salesman has been active in the Mosgiel area, prompting a complaint to police from a concerned relative.
Senior Sergeant Mark Crawford, of Dunedin, confirmed police were aware of reports of a door-to-door salesman who had visited elderly people living in the Mosgiel area.
He stressed, while there might not be anything illegal about the sales, anyone concerned could contact police, who would check the credentials of the seller.
Residents were urged to always check the credentials of salespeople, and Snr Sgt Crawford reminded people ''if they aren't happy they don't have to buy''.
A relative of a person visited by a salesman told the Otago Daily Times ''this company is doing the rounds in Dunedin selling overpriced products to the old''.
He described it as ''door-to-door pressure selling''.
The man said the seller claimed he was a nurse and advised his mother she had arthritis and needed to buy specialist health equipment.
Yesterday, the ODT contacted Niagara Healthcare manager Steve Oughton, who said the medical company did not go door to door.
''We do what we call phone surveys ... We ring up and ask if they want a free therapy.''
Asked how the company contacted would-be buyers, he said ''it is based on phone numbers''.
''It could have been supplied to us by a referral base, but until I look at the person's name or area I couldn't comment.
''We are not a pushy sales outfit because if people don't want the equipment, the equipment comes back to us. We don't want that either. We want people happy and satisfied and [the equipment] doing what it is supposed to do ... helping people with their health problems.''
His company's products were aimed not just at the elderly, he said, reiterating the company treated any complaint seriously.
