While even the best businessman can fall victim to a professional con artist, there are ways to minimize your chances of being taken when buying a franchise.

The Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) posts a list of questions to ask franchisers on its website -- (www.cfa.ca) -- and also requires all of its members to comply with a code of ethics that includes providing potential buyers with disclosure documents.

Such documents are only legally mandatory in Ontario, Alberta and Prince Edward Island, but CFA members in all provinces must provide them. The documents include information on who runs the franchise, whether any stores have closed or gone bankrupt, and whether any litigation is ongoing. They will also provide a list of existing franchisees.

"You should talk to them. That's going to be your best source of validating whether the information you're getting from the franchiser is valid," says Lorraine McLachlan, president and CEO of the CFA. Pizza One was not a member of CFA, she said.

Another must-do for Winnipeggers interested in obtaining a franchise is visiting the Canada Manitoba Business Service Centre at 250-240 Graham Ave.

Shannon Coughlin, general manager of the centre, said despite all that due diligence, she does hear about people being swindled.

"(Some of) these people are very very slick and very crafty," she said.

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