Cable technician West Island resident found suspicious only doing his job

A Vidotron subcontractor says a technician who some West Island residents feared was an impostercasing their homes is, in fact, one of his firm'semployees.

• West Island resident warns of suspicious Vidotron technician

Aymen Belajouza, a project manager for SC360, said the companyis doing work for Vidotrononthe West Island, and the man in question works forthem.

Vidotron confirmed Wednesday that SC360 is one of its official subcontractors.

DDO resident found visit fishy

A Dollard-des-Ormeauxresident raised the alarm earlier this week after avisit from a technician who said he was with Vidotron but had no identification and was not driving a Vidotron-branded vehicle.

Lisa-Marie Fitzwilliam said she was home alone with her child last Saturday when the man rang her doorbell and requested access to both the common garage she shares with a neighbour andtheir electrical room.

Fitzwilliam isn't a Vidotron customer, and when she asked the man who he was looking for, he said he wasn't looking for anyone or even a specific address.

She described the incident in a Facebook post and heard from sixother West Island residents mostly in Dollard-des-Ormeauxand Pierrefonds whoreported similar experiences.

Technicians should be wearing ID

Fitzwilliam called a Vidotronrepresentative whosaidthere were no service calls scheduled for her address, street orpostal code.

The Vidotron representative also told hertechnicians never show up without calling first.

Belajouza said his technicians all wear badges bearing a photo and employee number, and Vidotron should be able to confirm their identification.

If a customer requests their name, they are obliged to show their ID.

However, he said SC360 technicians do not call beforea visit, and Vidotron usually notifiescustomers in advance in writingthat the work is to becarried out.

Belajouzasaid it's normal for technicians to call on neighbours of Vidotron customers if they need access to a shared connection.

He added that technicianshave the right to access equipment located onprivate propertyif no one is home.

Belajouza said once the West Island work is finished, SC360technicians will be working in Lachine and Lasalle.

Vidotronoutlinesvisit protocol

Vidotrondescribed the protocol forhouse calls fromitstechniciansas follows:

• Prior to ascheduledvisit from a technician for any installation, the customer will receive an automatic call 30 minutes before his arrival.
• Upon arrival, the technician should introduce himself and describe the work he is thereto do.
• The technician is clearly identified as a Vidotron employee or its representative by an ID card.

Vidotron said customers with questionscan also contact itscustomer service department to verify if there is work being done on thenetworkin their area.

Fitzwilliam did just that.

Vidotronhas not yet provided CBC with an explanation as to why,whenFitzwilliamcontacted the company, itsrepresentative told her no work was being done in her neighbourhood.

Vidotrondid saythat people who aren't currentlycustomers would not receive a phone call or flyer warning them in advance of work to be done on their property.

Technicians are told to knock on the door or ring the doorbell, simply to inform the resident that they are there.If no one is home, the technician will carry out the work in their absence.