DATE: Wednesday, June 25, 1997              TAG: 9706250510

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: BY CATHERINE KOZAK, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: EDENTON                           LENGTH:   37 lines

EDENTON DOOR-TO-DOOR SOLICITORS SUSPECTED OF ATTEMPTING A SCAM

A man and a woman who went door-to-door on Cabarrus Street trying to persuade several senior citizens to switch power companies - for $69.95 - misrepresented themselves and were not authorized to solicit, police said.

``In our opinion, it is a scam,'' said John Hughes of Manteo, manager of governmental affairs for North Carolina Power. ``What these folks are doing is not allowed in the present marketplace.''

State utility law forbids power companies from seeking customers in other companies' territory, Hughes said.

Claiming to be employees of North Carolina Power, the couple told at least three residents on the street Monday that they could save money if they switched from Edenton Utilities, the town-owned power company, to North Carolina Power. They told the residents that they'd have to buy a power meter for $69.95 plus tax for three months of service.

None of those targeted by the couple took the bait - and all reported the incident.

``We became concerned when we had three calls and they were all from senior citizens,'' Town Manager Anne Marie Knighton said Tuesday. ``We were concerned that it might have been some scam.''

Knighton said that town law requires vendors to have permits to solicit door-to-door. No application had been made to the town by anyone representing a power company, she said.

``I'm just pleased that the residents took the time to call us, and we will certainly be on the lookout,'' Knighton said.

The couple reported was driving what appeared to be a maroon Ford Thunderbird, said Edenton Police Chief Harvey Williams. The investigation is continuing, he said.

Anyone with any further information is asked to call Edenton police at 482-5144.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu