Topic 'New Scam???' in forum 'Canadian Chat' - dslreports.com

Re: New Scam???

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 15:47:45 EDT

anon posted : The fact that he already knew about a specific repair on your system was a tip off that he was legit.

On the other hand, my policy remains the same. If I do business with your company already, then you at least owe me the courtesy of a phone call to set up an appointment to come inside my house.

If you turn up at my door without an appointment, unless you're a cop with a warrant, you're not getting inside.

Otherwise I may as well be letting Charlie Manson into my house for all I know. :p

Re: New Scam???

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 23:45:48 EDT

peterboro posted : It's funny. When you posted this thread I got a knock on the door the next day. Guess what??

That's right he wanted to inspect my furnace. What if I don't let you in? I say. "I shut off the gas at the meter" he says.

Why are you at my house? "Cause we fixed a fitting at your meter in the spring and we do a follow up on all repairs."

But why do you need to test my furnace if you fixed my meter? "Just routine, we test your exhaust for high carbon something or other levels."

So he tests the exhaust and all is fine. As peterboro's furnace is 23 years old he is relieved.

Re: New Scam??? 'Just Eco Savings'

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 22:40:08 EDT

CityLights posted : Even tho I have a No Soliciting sign on my front door! grrrr,

..I had the Eco Thermostat, "you need a Smart Home thermostat connected with your Smart Meter" scammers here today in Barrie. The guy made it sound like it was a mandatory free upgrade like the other smart meters, it's not.

This wonderful "Government Approved" smart device sets your furnace and Air Conditioning to the weather, the R value of your walls/attic, your furnace capacity..

I said I'd rather get a NEST thermostat, He tried to argue that the NEST is expensive (long term it's Cheaper then his scam and without a contract, lol) ..And people can't just instal their own Thermostat! lol, Watch the Nest instal videos, most people can instal NEST themselves!

The company was "Just Eco Savings" if you research them it's a total rip off, tricking you into a contract. The guy said it was free, but I would see a extra charge on my monthly gas bill, but the alleged savings would off-set the charge.

Once your hooked into their scam, people on the net are saying the buyout option on the 5 year contract is $545 + $135 per hour service charge to re-install your old Thermostat and they charge for Tech travel time, about 2 hours total billable hours.

Luckily he excused himself and scurried away when I asked if he had a flyer about this and that I would be checking it on the internet. He knew his game for commissions was up when I mentioned "Checking the Internet"

Re: New Scam???

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 07:22:16 EDT

elwoodblues posted : Thank you Mike Harris for deregulating the marketplace. It allows scammers like this to flourish

Re: New Scam???

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 01:14:40 EDT

Wolfie00 posted :

said by CanadianRip:

If its Ontario there's a good chance it's these guys:

»ontarioenergygroup.com/

They come in, make up a bogus work order and have you sign it. They create a false impression they are government officials without actually crossing the line and saying so.

Interesting home page.... "the amount of carbon monoxide produced by Ontario households steadily increases each year..."

These "experts" don't seem to know the difference between CO and CO2! :D

Re: New Scam???

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:54:49 EDT

MarkAW posted : A couple years back a woman was going door to door in my neighbourhood saying that people in my neighbourhood needed to pay 15 bucks to have our dogs licensed and that if we didn't we would be charged. She had this clip board with her with a bunch of blue paper work clipped to the board.

When she came to my door and she laid her crap speech on me about how we had to have a license for our dogs and that we had to pay her 15 bucks right there and then for each dog we had i told her to go fuck herself and there was no way i was giving her 15 bucks per dog and i didn't know who she was or who she worked for, she then said that the police will be in contact with me and my dogs would be taken away, to this day i am still waiting for the cops and for my dogs to be taken away.
--
We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.
Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience. (Hmm)
I have enemies? Good. That means I've stood up for something, sometime in my life.

Re: New Scam???

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 21:45:56 EDT

fast4ward posted : It ticks me off when they pose as if they are affiliated with government. I think that is why people fall for them.

Re: New Scam???

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 21:27:57 EDT

CanadianRip posted : If its Ontario there's a good chance it's these guys:

»ontarioenergygroup.com/

They come in, make up a bogus work order and have you sign it. They create a false impression they are government officials without actually crossing the line and saying so.

Re: New Scam???

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 16:27:28 EDT

ekster posted : Looks like these scams are getting more popular, even here in Quebec. Hydro solutions, the water heater renting company, actually just called me with a recorded message that there have been reports of people pretending to be inspecting/working for them and wanting to work on the water heaters.

Re: New Scam???

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 09:27:16 EDT

LazMan posted : Standard sounding 'slammer' deal - you let him in, he proceeds to point out all the safety and code issues with your furnace / water heater / gas service; sign here, we'll fix it all up for you, for a reasonable monthly fee...

At least he walked off nicely, and didn't make a fuss...

Re: New Scam???

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 09:26:33 EDT

ruddypict posted : There have been a few scams in my area where they just want to get inside to case your place and see if there's anything worth stealing later.

Re: New Scam???

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 09:16:25 EDT

peterboro posted : I've got a motion video camera pointed at anyone who comes to the front door. Now if one had a sign that said,

"You are being filmed and it will appear on Youtube if you are up to no good so piss off"

it would dissuade them. Probably not.

Re: New Scam???

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 08:47:40 EDT

AntonyLingo posted : The best was over the weekend where two young kids came to my door saying they were part of a basketball team for their school and they were looking to raise money for a tournament.

They had a few crumpled up papers with names, signatures and phone numbers that they tried to show me.

To main kid went into his pitch and I had to stop him. I told him a few things. 1) I don't keep money in the house and as a result could not give anything and 2) That if he was going door to door raising money for his basketball team then he should remove his Toronto Blue Jays jacket and at least show his school colours or jersey and 3) that the day they came to my door, school was not is session. It starts today (Jan 7). I never heard of a school having kids do door to door fund raising the day before school starts.

*door slam*

Re: New Scam???

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 11:52:55 EDT

Davesnothere posted :

said by graniterock:

....I'm of the mind that NO cold callers come into the house no matter what....

BINGO ! - THAT's it.

It wouldn't matter if I was NOT cooking supper with my glasses off.

And I should not have to put up a sign stating "No Peddlars' or such.

It's MY F-N place.

= = = = =

Besides, such a sign would garner about as much respect as the DNC list does from telemarketers. :mad: :uhh: :huh:

Now if someone would only come up with a way for me to reach thru the phone line and wring THOSE necks, now THAT would warm the cockles of my heart ! :D

Re: New Scam???

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 07:52:11 EDT

ynottony posted : I live in Welland and this is exactly what happen to me last week, the guys looked just like you described
I work in heating and gas maintenance and installations, I told him to get the f off my property or I would call the police, they left with out saying another word

Re: New Scam???

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 18:13:06 EDT

graniterock posted : Just be happy walked away nicely. I had a water heater guy that was so aggressive even after I told him I was phoning the police if he didn't leave that he shouted through the closed door for a good 30 seconds before walking away. Apparently I was a horrible person because he was going to get in trouble with his boss for not being able to inspect my water heater.

I'm of the mind that no cold callers come into the house no matter what.

I used to report the duct cleaning telemarketers to the do not call list. I've seen that some have actually been fined. But now they just block their number when they call.

Re: New Scam???

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 06:36:48 EDT

morisato posted : i am Evil when that sort shows up at my door, I call The cops to report it and then I also follow them down the block to all my Neighbhors houses and Say hi - But then i am a big guy so i don;t fear these sort at all P:) i chase the water heater sales People off my street rofl.
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Every time Someone leaves Sympatico an Angel gets its wings.

Re: New Scam???

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 03:46:16 EDT

cog_biz_user posted : Sounds similar to the scam Universal Energy / Just Energy pulls. Tell them you're calling the Ontario Energy Board and watch them jump into their van and run away. :D

Re: New Scam???

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 02:14:01 EDT

Sears posted : Likely he was selling water heaters. These guys insinuate they are some sort of bylaw inspectors with their ID tags and vests and then tell you stuff like the regulations have changed so you have to get a new furnace, water heater or whatever the case is.

It's a con.

Re: New Scam???

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 22:57:53 EDT

anon posted : The cops in Mississauga have better things to do than run down itinerant street solicitors who work for shady home service firms.

I seriously doubt the guy was casing the joint, but I have no doubt whatsoever that the company he represents is considerably less than ethical... Like wolfie said, honest sales reps don't try and pass themselves off as "code inspectors." :p

Re: New Scam???

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 22:35:37 EDT

Linklist posted : I'd call the police after a visit like that. It depends on where you live and the crime rate whether a cop shows up quickly or not. In my area, the local police have almost zero crime to investigate, so someone would show up within minutes.
--
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasury.

Re: New Scam???

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 20:54:26 EDT

fast4ward posted :

said by lugnut :

said by peterboro:

It would help if you told us what his badge and jacket said.

the jacket was like a felt, navy blue hoodie kind of thing with the unreadable company name I suppose embroidered on the chest in dark, low contrast thread.

They have lots of that sort of jacket at Value Village

Re: New Scam???

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:53:52 EDT

Dones posted : Yesterday, two men came to my door to make an appointment to check if my thermostat was "Eco Friendly."

They were wearing high visibility work clothing and had a clipboard with them. I was feeling sick at the time so I didn't pay attention to what they were saying.

Something about the smart meter and saving energy. They wouldn't give me any paper or further information until I made an appointment. I said "forget this" and slammed the door.

From now on, I'm only opening the door to the FedEx/UPS man.

Re: New Scam???

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:31:35 EDT

anon posted :

said by Thane_Bitter:

OMG its the Ventilation Police! :D

Since building code is periodically revised every few years, the answer is almost certainly "no, you are not up to (the current) code". ;)

Ergo, scam.

That was pretty much my take on it.

My general rule of thumb is that if you haven't scheduled an appointment to be here ahead of time, you're not getting in my house.

I honestly can't count the number of times I've told Direct Energy employees to beat it when they show up at my door with showerheads, lightbulbs and pipe insulation without an appointment.

If I have an account with you you can make an appointment to see me at my house. Otherwise you can blow me.

Re: New Scam???

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:29:15 EDT

anon posted :

said by peterboro:

It would help if you told us what his badge and jacket said.

Unfortunately I wasn't wearing my glasses and I was in the middle of cooking supper so I didn't have a whole lot of time to waste on this scumbag.

The badge looked like your standard, laminated plastic, cheap assed vendors ID and the jacket was like a felt, navy blue hoodie kind of thing with the unreadable company name I suppose embroidered on the chest in dark, low contrast thread.

Really I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that there appears to be some new kind of scam in town.

Re: New Scam???

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 17:31:24 EDT

peterboro posted : It would help if you told us what his badge and jacket said.

Re: New Scam???

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 17:25:11 EDT

Thane_Bitter posted : OMG its the Ventilation Police! :D

Since building code is periodically revised every few years, the answer is almost certainly "no, you are not up to (the current) code". ;)

Ergo, scam.

Re: New Scam???

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 17:16:13 EDT

alexpb1 posted : You'll probably hear about a robbery in your neighbourhood in the not-so-distant future!

Re: New Scam???

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 17:01:07 EDT

Wolfie00 posted : It could be anything. Two things for sure, though. One, ethical sales people don't sell under false pretenses, like pretending to be "code inspectors." And two, after the kid was done his "inspection", he would know if you have valuable stuff in the house and the general layout of the place. It's unlikely he was actually there to case the joint, but that point is nonetheless true.

EDIT: How the hell did "false pretenses" become "fall pretenses"? More autocorrect? :D

New Scam???

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 16:37:19 EDT

anon posted : So, I'm making supper when the doorbell rings and this 18 yr old nothing wearing an embroidered jacket and a plastic chicken inspector ID badge and carrying a clipboard comes up and starts rattling off how "Of course you're aware that Ontario changed regulations..." blah blah blah.

I cut him off and ask him if he's selling water heaters. He says "No."

Then he says he wants to come inside and inspect the house ventilation systems to see if they're up to code.

I tell him there's not a chance in Hell that I'm letting him inside.

He says "OK" like it's no skin off his nose and starts walking off to the next house.

Is there some new scam going on out there that I don't know of or what? Is this the attack of the duct cleaners stage 3?