When your home appliance breaks down, you most likely will turn to an appliance repair company to fix it for you. In doing this, you are putting your trust in the repairman that is servicing your appliance. Most technicians are reliable and honest, however, you could run the risk of being scammed. Unfortunately, these appliance repair scams are not new and have been plaguing my industry for decades.
So pay attention to these 5 common appliance repair scams so you can avoid them and save yourself a headache.
1- Paying Them First Scam
If a repairman is asking you to make an initial payment before they repair or even check your appliance, you should go somewhere else. They may be telling you that they need to order a part, but do not fall for it. Only pay for the work they have done, or have seen the part they are intending to use.
2- Mishaps Scam
Do not leave your repairman in your home unsupervised. Stay with them as they work on your appliance. If you do have to leave while they are servicing your appliance, check back with them often. Any mistakes made on their part could end up costing you more money in replacements and labor.
3- Underestimating the Repair Scam
Some technicians may tell you that the problem is just something minor and can be easily fixed in a short amount of time. Then they call back to say the repair is worse than they had thought and need more money to fix the problem. Any estimates should be done on the initial checkup visit, and this is when you should be made aware of the issues.
4- Lying About Licensing Scam
Before you hire an appliance repair company, you should check your state electrical regulations to see which license is required for appliance repairs. Some scammers will tell you they are licensed, however, they may be falsely claiming to be certified. It is best to verify through the state before you move forward. This is a big red flag, because some states require a license for certain services, and this can protect you from fraud.
5- Claiming it’s a Total Failure Scam
In these scenarios, you have a repairman over to fix your damaged home appliance, only to tell you that your appliance requires double or triple the cost, parts, and labor. So, what happened? In some cases, repairmen will try to pass off a simple repair as a more complicated one. They will require that you pay for that simple part along with other parts for them to install. After installation, everything works fine, but you paid more than you needed to for the other parts when you just needed the simple part for the fix.
If you feel like the price is really high, you should get a second opinion and get a copy of the estimate. Of course it is a pain and more timely, but it can save you hundreds of dollars right then and potentially thousands in the long run. If you find out from another appliance repair company that the previous repairman scammed you and over charged and misdiagnosed, you can file a complaint to get your service charge back. Just make sure you get something in writing from the technician that actually repairs your home appliance.
Knowledge is the Best Way to Avoid Appliance Repair Scams
It is important to be cautious of any potential scams when having your appliances repaired. Anyone who has been through these situations will tell you that they ended up spending a lot more time dealing with the hassles and end up spending an unnecessary amount of money in the process. It is beneficial to you to know the risks, do your research, check reviews, and get estimates from at least three companies before choosing an appliance repair service.
NOTE: if you feel like you are being or have been scammed by an appliance repair company, please report these companies to the Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker or to Ripoff Report.
Have No Fear, Area Appliance Service Is Here
Please give us a call at (847) 459-8070. We have specialized appliance repair technicians that will gladly assist you. Whether you are in need of repairs, or you would like to schedule routine maintenance, or you just have a question about a potential scam, we’re here to help!
Area Appliance Service is available 24/7 and has been in business since 1958. AAS also has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, offers a 100% Satisfaction Guaranty for up to 12 months, and has up to a 12 month Warranty on parts and labor.
Area Appliance Repair services the Arlington Heights and Buffalo Grove area including Northbrook, Schaumburg, Des Plaines, Palatine, Bartlett and other surrounding suburbs.
