Bait and Switch: Knowing the Carpet Cleaning Scam
Published on Friday, 07 August 2009
Have you heard of the "bait and switch" scam? If not, you better get acquainted with the modus operandi of this scam especially if you're thinking to get professional cleaning service for your carpet.
This scam usually lures potential victims by offering an extremely low price for their service. The service fee is usually a few dollars only per room. Once you got the bait, they will start scamming you when they arrive to your house to do the cleaning.
The scam works by raising your bill for usually unneeded extra services. For instance, they will tell you that the dirty traffic on the carpet needs preconditioned or else, they will have to perform a special treatment for it, which will cost more than double of what you have to pay.
They can even use your pet to ask for extra charges. For instance, they will tell you that your carpet needs pet treatment even if the carpet has no stains caused by your pet. They might also force you to apply an unneeded protection for your carpet, which they claim will protect your carpet against being ruined.
Reputable cleaning services may also offer you the same services. But what separates scam from the non-scam is the way they sell their services.
Scams use intimidating strategy so you can't say no. This scam usually works especially if the professional is too big for the regular housewife.
Now that you know how "bait and switch" works, you can already prevent being scammed. And remember, stay away from too-good-to-be-true offers and never allow any cleaning professional enter your house without checking their credibility and reputation in the market.
More news
