Are you a senior citizen or do you take care of a senior citizen that owns his or her own home? Seniors are heavily targeted in chimney scams, but victims of the scam can be younger. If you need your chimney cleaned, inspected, or repaired, you only want to work with an honest Professional Chimney Repair Service in Carroll County MD. There are easy ways to tell if you are dealing with a real chimney repair contractor or a scammer.
They Do Not Call You Out of the Blue
Real chimney cleaners and contractors are so busy they do not need to cold-call customers with a special offer. A real Professional Chimney Repair Service in Carroll County MD will only call you if you have called them first. Hang up on all callers who claim to be a new company in your area offering a special deal for chimney cleaning or repairs. These are scammers who will purposefully damage your chimney or roof and then overcharge you for shoddy repairs.
They Will Not Threaten to Condemn Your Home
Scammers also will threaten to get your home condemned by the Maryland State Housing Board if you do not pay them for work you do not need on your chimney. This is an empty threat. Homes that get condemned have to be falling apart. Hang up on them or, if they are at your door, call the police. A real contractor will recommend work that needs to be done but will not threaten or force you to do any work at all. All decisions are left to you.
They Will Not Give You A Fake Website Address
In this age of Photoshop and desktop publishing, it’s easy for anyone to print up professional looking papers, invoices, or business cards. If they have a website, check to see if the site is real. Many scammers assume their victims never check the website. Unfortunately, this is true. If you see a website for a chimney repair or cleaning service, check to see that it is a real site and includes a real-world address that you can drive to and check out.
In Summary
Scammers are out there, but you can protect yourself with some common sense and patience. Click here if you need a quality chimney repair service in Maryland.
