Wednesday,  May 15, 2013 • Vol. 14--No. 299 • 7 of 33 •  Other Editions

(Continued from page 6)

proval for the additional work or cost.
• Out-of-state vendors often travel to South Dakota to sell items like fruit, seafood, meat packages, paintings, magazine subscriptions, rugs, T-shirts, sunglasses, household cleaners, furniture, stuffed animals, and asphalting and roofing services.  Asking the right questions when approached by those vendors can help you avoid making a purchase you may regret:
• • Question the salesperson about the product, warranties, guarantees, etc.
• • Get something in writing with the company's name, address and phone number.
• • Ask to see their current South Dakota tax license.  State law requires everyone selling products or services to have a current South Dakota sales or contractors' excise tax license. To verify if the license is valid, call the Department's toll-free helpline at 1-800-829-9188.
• All sellers must provide you with a contract or receipt at the time of sale showing the date, merchant's name and address, and a statement informing you of your right to cancel the contract within three days.  After proper cancellation, the seller has 10 days to refund your money.
• If you have doubts about the vendor or think you may have been the victim of a scam, call your local police department or county sheriff's office immediately.  You can also contact the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Office at 1-800-300-1986 or by email at consumerhelp@state.sd.us.  Be prepared to give as much information as you can about the vendor, including the name of the company and salesperson; company address and telephone number; and make, model and license number (if possible) of the vehicle the vendor was driving.  Without tips from the public, law enforcement officials may not be able to catch illegal vendors before they move on to the next community.
• For more information on transient vendors, contact the South Dakota Department of Revenue's toll-free helpline at 1-800-829-9188, press "1" for the Business Tax Division.

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