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• Had elder person sign into a contract for extensive duct work in attic

  By: Nurse1070 Feb 27, 2014
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  Person contacted my mother stating he had done work for her at an address she lived at, but it was a rental, so she would not have employed this person, the owner would have if that was the case. She agreed to have him inspect her air duct system on a 1200 sq ft house because "it was probably due". Person had her sign a contract for $3400 of work and had her pay 10% deposit of $340. My mother contacted me the next morning afraid she had become involved in a scam. Here is the reasoning behind our belief that it was a scam:
  Business card has only company name printed on it. No contractor number and no persons's name printed on this card. Business card is very generic and worn.
  Contract has no street address for the company, only a phone number and web address. When phone number is called, it is answered by music, no identifying remark about the company.
  Company website is very generic
  When company phone was finally answered after repeat attempts, it was a voice mail box with a recording to leave a message for Jessica "user". Technician gave my mother a zerox copy of a generic State Contractors License for a company under a different name than on the contract. My mother only has documentation of technician's first name, and supervisor's first name and phone number that she had to write down because it was not on any of the documents. The contract states in small print the "customer authorizes performance of the above referenced service and agree to the terms and conditions set forth on the reverse side of this agreement...." There is nothing printed on the reverse side of the agreement. The city police was contacted and the officer that responded looked over everything and agreed it looked suspicious. He also stated that solicitors doing business in this city were required to have a permit and show their "lanyard". A stop payment was issued on the check my mother wrote. The supervisor "John" called my mother back this morning to see why she had tried to contact them. I answered the phone and told them we were terminating the contract. There was a lot of yelling on his part stating he had already pulled permits to do the work. I told him again that we were terminating the contract which was less than 24 hours old. He hung up on me after I told him there was nothing further to discuss. I contacted the city immediately after that phone call to check on permits issued. No permits had been issued or requested. I also am suspicious that she was contacted so soon after my father's passing which was in the local paper (not county paper) obituaries. Could be a purposeful coincidence. No money was lost because we were able to put a stop payment on the check which had already started the process of clearing the bank. The people may try further stunts because the supervisor, John, was very aggressive on the phone. My mother is also elderly which makes the situation suspicious of preying on a certain population of people.

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  • My demands:

  • No money was lost because we were able to put a stop payment on the check. The people may try further stunts because the supervi

  • User Recommendation:

  • Stay away

  • Resolution:

  • Unresolved

  Complaint #: 5565
  • Also reported:

    • Monetary damages:

    • $0.00

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