It’s not a secret that this has been a difficult time, with a pandemic hitting each of us in ways we never imagined, and if you’re like most people, there are a lot of things you’d prefer to put behind you.
Most of us take some time at the beginning of each year to reflect on the year that has passed and to make resolutions for the year to come. A healthier lifestyle and a tighter budget still appear on almost everyone’s list of New Year’s goals, though.
With so much focus on indoor air quality, more and more people are looking at HVAC system cleaning solutions at home. After all, air duct cleaning isn’t only a terrific method to help you and your family breathe clean, healthy air—it can also enhance your home’s energy efficiency and help you save money!
Home remodeling scams are on the rise as the epidemic continues to burn on, and COVID-19 has added gasoline to the flames. We’ve all seen the mail-order advertisements offering air duct cleaning discounts that sound too good to be true, like $89 whole-house promotions. Social media neighborhood organizations are seeing an increase in messages targeting homeowners (hint: if something seems too good to be true, it usually is). Even though we only notice a few ads for inexpensive air duct cleaning each day on different social media platforms, it seems that Facebook and Nextdoor are the most prolific offenders.
The text of these articles is almost similar, and typically includes things like a “special discount” for the first few commenters or a single price for endless vents and ducts. The same graphics and videos are regularly used in unrelated topics if you pay attention. It’s rare for the company name to appear in the post, and those who express interest are contacted privately through the app. In addition, they’re typically uploaded from profiles that seem to be actual members of the communities for whom the groups are intended.
Over time, the frauds have evolved, and now they might look to be genuine messages. Homeowners interested in the fraud will get messages from the con artists, who would then ask for personal details before demanding a large payment. You’ll never see your money again, or have it used to clean your air ducts. Substandard cleaning is also possible if they are cleaned.
A number of techniques stand out when it comes to determining whether or not postings are scams, according to our pals at DuctCleaning.org Here are eight red indicators to watch out for:
“Believe my work, not my words,” the message reads, and I agree. No, this isn’t a swindle.” It’s a fraud if they claim it’s not a scam, therefore don’t fall for it!
There is no mention of a company in the message. The name of a legitimate company will always be used in order to promote its services to the public.
