Raising the Standard Episode 47
On Episode 47 of Raising the Standard, BOSS Owner Jeff Street joins WSJM’s Spencer Rivers to discuss an important topic: Duct cleaning and carpet cleaning Facebook scams. Yes, unfortunately, it is something that we have been seeing in local Berrien County Facebook groups quite a bit lately. Not sure what is a scam and what isn’t? Listen to our podcast or read below to discover some telltale signs of a duct and carpet cleaning scam artist.
What Does a Duct or Carpet Cleaning Scam Post Look Like?
A key sign to watch out for from a scam artist post about duct or carpet cleaning services is that they never mention the name of their company. That’s a surefire indication that they aren’t a legitimate company. They usually post something that looks like a real advertisement in local Facebook groups, and it starts something like this:
“Believe my work, not my words.The following are benefits of duct cleaning…”
Typically on the post, you’ll see a before and after picture and a random out of state phone number listed. That is an important thing to look for: The phone number is rarely local.
When someone responds to the post and says they’re interested, the scam artist will say, “I’ll send you a direct message for more details.” The next part is where the con comes in. These people will say they need to collect half down on a payment to hold your spot in their schedule. However, after you give them your credit card, you’ll never hear from them again after they’ve stolen hundreds of dollars from you.
What Should I Do If I See a Suspicious Post?
Often, when we see these suspicious posts, we comment asking for the name of the company. If it’s a legitimate company, the poster will respond with the name of their company. If it’s a scam artist, then they usually just ignore you or try to create a story of why they haven’t mentioned a company name. When this occurs, eventually the admins catch on and take the post down. However, a lot of time after the post just disappears, the post will keep turning up again in different local groups to attempt the scam all over again.
If you see something like this happening on a local group, don’t be afraid to comment and ask what company they’re representing because nine times out of ten, that will trigger the post to get deleted. Taking action will also save someone from losing hundreds of dollars.
BOSS Services has received three calls just in the last two weeks from people out of the state that have been scammed. Actually, the scam artists used our company’s name! Just the other day, a guy called us and said he paid half down and BOSS never showed up. After looking into this, this person paid half down, and he lives in Pennsylvania. It’s unfortunate for the victims and for the reputable companies that these scam artists are fraudulently representing.
How Does a Legitimate Duct Cleaning Company Conduct Business?
BOSS Services and other legitimate duct cleaning companies never ask for half down just to secure your appointment. Initially, we will have a service technician come out to your home and provide you with a quote in person. At BOSS if someone agrees to purchase a new furnace, air conditioner, water heater, etc., we do ask for half down if it’s not financed. This is only required because we have to order equipment that can’t be returned. However, we are never asking for a half down payment just to secure an appointment.
Wrapping It Up…
If you would like a reputable company to clean your ducts, BOSS Services provides top-notch duct cleaning, and we are happy to help. Give us a call at 269-468-6682 anytime day or night, and we can get you in our schedule to clean and sanitize all of your ducts to improve your indoor air quality and overall HVAC efficiency. Check in with us next week for more home maintenance tips on Raising the Standard!
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