Attention Business Owners/Citizens

April 21, 2009

I just want to remind all business owners to be very caution with persons soliciting your business in person. Most of these type solicitors are required or should stop in at City Hall and register with the city. All business owners should ask these solicitors if they have registered with the City as required. If not I would highly suggest you don't do business with them until they do. Most legitimate businesses will stop and register. You should ask for some identification such as a business card or reference sheet. Consumers have other resources to check with also being the Illinois Attorney's General Office and Better Business Bureau.

Today we had an incident in town with a business and the person doing the soliciting has a history of alleged deceptive practices. These types of people are very "smooth" at what they do and sound very good in their presentations but when they get forceful and start pressuring the consumer that should be an alert that something is not right.

J. Michael Sponsler

Aledo Chief of Police