You may of heard about pest control scams. But do they really exist? The unfortunate answer is yes. The UK is home to hundreds of cowboys and fly by night operators. These people prey upon the public and routinely scam them out of thousands of pounds.
The various types of pest control scams
Read on to find out more and how to protect yourself.
Unlicensed technicians
One of the biggest pest control scams is where businesses use unlicensed technicians. With this scam, the initial inspection is done by a licensed technician. What happens next is that the actual job is done by unlicensed persons.
Most of the time these people have no idea how to do pest control. They will come into your home, knock about for a bit and then leave. Certainly not something you would expect from a good pest firm. And, as you can imagine, this does nothing for your pest problem!
Unsolicited inspections
A second scam is unsolicited inspections. Many homeowners need a pest inspection, and book a reputable company like Diamond to carry that out. However, you should watch out for people who show up at your door claiming to be pest control inspectors. What these people usually do, is claim the neighbours are having pest issues. They then ask to inspect your property to see if you are having the same problem. Invariably, they discover some alleged pests that you had no previous knowledge of. Sometimes, in this scam, they even plant dead pests. It may seem incredible that people actually fall for this. But experienced con men are more persuasive than you can possibly imagine.
The bed bug scam
Other pest control scams include the bed bug scam. One of the most popular ways to get rid of bed bugs these days is with heat treatments. Genuine bed bug experts often use sophisticated equipment that is very expensive.
But what scam artists do is come into your home with an ordinary heater. They pass this off as heat treatment equipment. In most cases, the client falls for this as they don’t know any better.
Thieves posing as exterminators
The final and most basic of all pest control scams happens when thieves pose as pest controllers. It’s quite easy for these people to come into your home and ask the occupant to vacate the premises. From there, they have the run of your house, and can do whatever they please. Whether this robbing you there and then – or coming back later. For this reason, you should always, always make sure to hire someone reputable.
