Why People Fall for Garage Door Repair Scams and How to Avoid Them

When you’re experiencing problems with your garage door, you need a garage door repair company and you need it fast. No one wants to be forced to open and close the garage door manually in the dead of night or when the weather is bad. Nor do they want to be locked out of the garage entirely because of a more serious problem. It’s at times like this when they’re at their most vulnerable that homeowners typically fall prey to garage door repair scams. And there’s a couple of reasons for that.

• A Sense of Desperation - When problems with the door arise and limit their ability to get into or out of the garage people often don’t know what to do. The garage door is normally such a reliable piece of equipment that it never crosses their mind that something could go wrong with it. When it does it can create a sense of desperation. And this desperation to get relief now makes them vulnerable to scammers.
• A Lack of Familiarity With the Door - Even if someone keeps their cool in the face of a malfunctioning or non-functioning garage door they can still find themselves behind the 8-ball. That’s because they simply aren’t familiar with how the door works. Because of this when they call for help and a scammer arrives they can be manipulated into paying for parts or services they don’t actually need.

Tips to Avoid Garage Door Repair Scams

The process of avoiding garage door scams begins with knowing a bit about how your garage door works. You don’t need to become an expert. But if you are familiar with the main components of the door mechanism and what they do you’ll be able to recognize when someone is trying to pull the wool over your eyes. The second part of avoiding a scam is to keep your head about you no matter the urgency of the situation. The third part is making sure you always work with a reputable company.

But how do you discern trustworthy garage door repair technicians from disreputable providers? Here are a few tips that should help you identify garage door scammers.

• Tip #1: Look for a Single Name - People intent on ripping others off often hide behind a plethora of names. Perhaps their website has one name. Then when they arrive their truck has a different name on the side. And when you ask for a business card it has yet another name on it. They do this because it makes it harder for you to trace them once you realize you’ve been ripped off. You want to see consistency in the way they present themselves. And that starts with one name.
• Tip #2: Make Sure They Have a Street Address - Scammers don’t want to be found. That’s the first thing to understand about them. They want to get in, move a couple of things around, get paid and get out. They almost never have a verifiable address on their vehicle, their business cards, their invoices or anything else. If they do use an address you may find out later that there’s a vacant lot or a church or a school there. Some will put a PO Box on their card. Or claim to be located in an office complex. These are huge red flags. Never hire someone to fix the garage door if they don’t have a legitimate business address.
• Tip #3: Beware the Demand for Cash - Most garage door opener repair companies will accept cash payment for their services. Where it gets iffy is when you call for garage door repair in Loveland and the person shows up and says he needs you to pay upfront, in cash. This should be an enormous red flag. If you question them about paying cash up front and they say, (which they often will), that they need the cash to go get a part, look out. It’s likely they’ll walk out with your money and you’ll never see them again.
• Tip #4: Take Your Time - The reason it’s so important to keep your head about you when the garage door malfunctions is because it may take time to find a reputable company to do the repair work. You don’t want to feel rushed or walk blindly into a trap. You may need to verify someone’s address or check with the BBB website to see if they’re legit. These things can take time. Mistakes happen because people feel pressured into acting. Relax.

Choose a Trustworthy Garage Door Repair Company and Stick with Them

One of the first things the homeowner should do once they get settled into a new house is to pick a reputable company to handle garage door repair and maintenance issues. This way whenever something comes up no matter how great or small they know exactly which Loveland or Broomfield garage door repair company is going to respond. There are no surprises, no games, no tricks. Make sure it’s a full service company like A Better Garage Door and put the company’s number on your phone so it’s always there if you need it.

Conclusion

Every industry is has phonies looking to profit from the desperation of others. It’s an unfortunate fact of life. But just because garage door scammers exist it doesn’t mean you’re destined to fall victim to them. Make A Better Garage Door your garage door repair company of choice and rest easy knowing you’re garage door is in good hands.