Knock knock, who's there? More and more residents in Washoe County are encountering solicitors at their homes, questioning whether or not they are legitimate.
The Washoe County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) in an online post says they are seeing a rise in the number of calls they are getting about the legitimacy of solicitors.
WCSO wants to remind the community of some important information about the documentation that solicitors are legally bound to have on hand in the unincorporated areas of Washoe County.
A person soliciting must legally carry two forms of documentation which must be presented upon request by the resident.
The first form of documentation a solicitor must have is a valid and current business license that was obtained from the Washoe County Business Licensing Division and is specific for door-to-door sales.
The second form of documentation a solicitor must also carry is a solicitor work permit card that was obtained from the Washoe County Sheriff's Office.
The work card is a plastic, wallet-sized identification that is valid for five years and should have a picture of the person on it.
A temporary paper work permit which is valid for only 90 days from its date of issuance is provided by the Sheriff's Office until the plastic identification card is mailed to the solicitor.
The Washoe County Sheriff's Office says that if a person does not have these two forms of documentation or fails to show them when asked, they are not legitimate and may be conducting business illegally or with criminal intent.
You can report solicitors that you feel are doing business illegally by calling the Sheriff's non-emergency line at (775)328-3001.
(The Washoe County Sheriff's Office contributed to this story.)
