Whatever the time of the day, be it the morning, afternoon, or dinnertime, most people in Vaughan receive from a telemarketing service touting air duct cleaning. The caller usually asks if anyone is home, and if someone is, the pitch begins. The caller may state that they are with a local air duct cleaning company or even from the government and that they are doing a survey on air quality.
In March of 2015, CRTC had to name, fine, and shame nine companies in Greater Toronto for scams that involved air duct cleaning. These companies had to pay heavy fines, but the damage they caused to the duct cleaning industry that worked legally was more significant.
Many air duct cleaning companies do just a “blow and go” job, and these are the ones that homeowners need to be aware of. They will charge you just a nominal fee, but their job for cleaning, cooling and heating systems will be of poor quality. They will also, at the same time, be able to persuade homeowners to pay for things they don’t need and for which they don’t have permission.
How Do These Scams Work?
These scammers make cold calls that use a tactic known as “bait and switch” by imitating numbers that the person receiving the call will seem to be from local numbers. Once the customers do pick up the call, they will be subject to offers of screaming deals. They will make an appointment after persuading the customer to do so.
Once the customer makes an appointment, these scammers will come to the house and inspect the HVAC system. They will inform the homeowners that their systems are infected by mould and other toxic things. These claims are more likely to be false and used as a pretext to extract money. So, ultimately, the customer will have to pay two or three times more than the original quote.
The unfortunate thing is that these scammers have been around for years. Customers do sign up to list these numbers in the Do Not Call registry, but even then, these scammers of air duct cleaning find a way to get back to their numbers.
How Can You Be Protected?
- Does the offer sound too good to be true? Then in all probability, it is. The cleaning of air ducts does come at a cost, but it is worth it if the job is done well and carried out by a reputable company.
- Before you sign any contract, read the fine print, and understand the process and the price you are paying for it.
- Do not share personal information like credit card information, date of birth or social security numbers.
- Hang up immediately if any unwanted call sounds like a sales pitch that makes you uneasy.
- Have a caller ID that allows you to filter calls and block scam phone calls made to you.
Air Duct Cleaning Scams – Conclusion
You may receive mail daily with coupons and flyers. There will be offers “Removal of mould and soot from your HVAC” and “Whole house cleaning of air ducts”. Report to the Better Business Bureau if you suspect a “blow and go” air duct cleaner.
Get service from reliable companies like Furnace Repair Vaughan. We are a family-owned and operated business that takes pride in our work. You can be sure that the work we do will be of the highest quality and at a fair price.
