I was stunned to hear about this shocking scam. When you Google a business by using a keyword such as plumbers, electricians or locksmiths, you may actually be given the information of a fake company that doesn't really exist.
When you call the number given in the ad, you could be calling a legitimate local company or you could be calling what is known as a boiler-room operation that may be thousands of miles away. If you happen to get one of these phony companies, they will give you a reasonable quote, but the person they send out may not even be licensed or work for a local business.
Once the service provider shows up, they will suddenly find more work that needs to be done or "special circumstances" that require them to charge much more than the original quote. You already have them there, so you will probably end up paying the additional fees.
How to protect yourself:
!. Get a recommendation from another source such as AAA or a friend. Don't rely solely on Google!
2. Do another type of Google search on the name of any company you consider using ... combined with the word "scam." See what information pops up about this company.
3. Ask for a written estimate and the state license number of the company.
4. Check with the Better Business Bureau to see if the company is listed and if they have any unresolved complaints.
Whatever you do, don't simply assume that if a company pops up in a Google search, it is legitimate. You could simply be seeing a advertisement that anyone put online!
Whatever you do, don't simply assume that if a company pops up in a Google search, it is legitimate. You could simply be seeing a advertisement that anyone put online!
Source of the information on this scam:
Bottom Line/Personal
http://www.scambusters.org/fakecompanies.html
You are reading from the blog: http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com
Photo credit: Photo of the cat and computer was taken by author, Deborah-Dian; all rights reserved.
