It seems like, these days, scams and scam artists are everywhere. They constantly find new and creative methods of taking our money and it is a problem that has even found its way into the HVAC world. There are contractors who use underhanded methods of getting more money from customers without the clients realizing they have been scammed. As a result, a lot more money is spent and nothing may be done.
When springtime rolls around, we all start looking to the summer when we will need our air conditioner working in top form. Some customers have chosen a service contract that will ensure their systems are working properly all of the time. This is definitely the smartest option because it can also help you avoid scam artists who will find ways to take your money.
What Do the Scams Look Like?
They come in a few different forms with bait and switch being pretty common. But, as a consumer, you certainly need to know more about how you could be scammed so that you can avoid the issue completely.
Telemarketing is where many of the scams begin. Someone will cold call you, meaning you didn’t ask for them to contact you, and they will tell you a variety of different things, like:
- You are in the area, so they offer special discounts.
- A component of your air conditioning unit is going to go bad.
- You could have toxic mold in your air conditioner system because your neighbors do.
Essentially, they will give you a reason why you need their help immediately. In fact, they may make it sound urgent, like you can only get a good deal if you agree to something right now or you could be putting your family’s health at risk. Either way, they want to get your attention while they have you on the phone.
Then, they will offer something that just seems too good to be true. They may offer a free inspection only to magically find things wrong and con you out of money to get things fixed. Often, the scammers will claim that your air conditioning unit is in dire straits, making you think that if you don’t pay to repair it right now.
This is where the bait and switch comes in. They bait you with something that sounds good. They offer you a free inspection, $50 off a service, etc. Then, they tell you that your perfectly good air conditioner needs to be replaced and they will put in something that’s actually relatively inexpensive and charge you through the nose.
Many times, the air conditioning unit will actually be in fine working order, or it may have something minor wrong with it. But, unless you happen to be an air conditioner repair specialist, you won’t know and you will have to go on the word of the person who inspects it. They can tell you that you actually need a whole new unit when you don’t. As a result, you end up spending thousands more than you actually have to.
So, how can you avoid these scams? It starts with recognizing what they look like. Then, it means finding an HVAC service and repair company that you can actually depend on. The best thing you could do is choose a dependable company, set up a service contract again, and never have to worry about the health of your air conditioner. That way, when the scammers try to contact you, you definitely will not fall for the scam, and that could potentially save you thousands of dollars that you do not have to spend.
Resources:
www.achrnewas.com/articles/129282-contractors-vent-about-hvac-scams?v=preview
