Buyer Beware
Last week on NextDoor, someone posted about being a gutter/leaf guard installer and how an elderly woman had gotten ripped off by a company with pushy sales people. I feel like I need to address that because I feel it’s scam-my. I don’t like scams and I especially don’t like them when the person who falls victim is unsuspecting, ignorant, or just doesn’t know any better for whatever reason. Not all of us know about gutters and nor am I even an expert in leaf guards but I try to be “in the know” when it comes to scams.
This is the same sales tactic water softener people use (my husband and I fell victim to that when we first bought our house but got out of the contract before too much damage occurred), window replacement people and others use. They basically tell you if you don’t sign on the dotted line right now, then the deal walks out the door with them. The victim is none the wiser because these sales people are trained to tell you everything you want to hear and pressure you into not thinking twice about the situation.
In the post she is paying $8,600 for the leaf guard installation when the total installation may have cost $800 for the materials plus labor if the other guy had installed it. The company she went with told her that it would be $4,000 if she signed today. The other guy didn’t say what he would charge but was upset so I have to think that he would have been less than $4,000 for parts AND labor. Honestly, I would be upset as well knowing some company ripped her off.
When I see these stories I always think of my parents and grandparents. I’m always trying to make sure they aren’t getting scammed somewhere. I’m the same way with my customers because I don’t want to ever see anyone taken for a ride. If you ever need someone to advocate for a situation, you can always call me. I am not familiar with every single scam out there but I always use my gut and logic to determine if the situation feels right or wrong. There are plenty of scams out there and I always try to inform my family and friends so they don’t fall victim.
And if you need a resource for something, please give me a call. I have so many good, honest companies in my network that I can almost always get you in contact with someone who won’t rip you off. My mom calls me the “mob boss” because I have someone for everything. I want to help you so please use my resources by giving me a call or text today!
