Have you ever had someone come to your door unsolicited and try to sell you something? It’s happened to all of us. And while most of the time we can easily spot a scam a mile away, sometimes they can be harder to detect. Take, for example, the double-glazing scam. This is a scam that’s been around for years and continues to dupe unsuspecting homeowners out of thousands of dollars. Here’s everything you need to know about this devious scheme so you can avoid being taken advantage of.
What Is the Double Glazing Scam?
The double glazing scam usually starts with a knock on your door from a salesperson who claims to be from a local window company. They’ll tell you that they’re in the neighbourhood and noticed that your windows could use an upgrade. They may even show you some brochures or samples to back up their claim. Once they have you hooked, they’ll give you a high-pressure sales pitch and try to get you to sign on the dotted line right then and there.
If you’re smart, you’ll quickly see through their ploy and send them on their way. But if you’re not paying attention, it’s easy to get caught up in their story and agree to have new windows installed—at an exorbitant price, of course. In some cases, homeowners have been scammed out of tens of thousands of dollars by signing on the dotted line without reading the fine print first. So, if someone comes knocking on your door trying to sell you new windows, beware!
How Can You Avoid Being Scammed?
The best way to avoid being scammed by the double-glazing salespeople is to simply not answer the door when they come calling. If you do find yourself face-to-face with one of these slick salespeople, don’t be afraid to ask for their ID or business card so you can do some research before making a decision. And under no circumstances should you ever sign anything on the spot without reading it over carefully first.
Double Glazing Sales Reps Tactics You Should Be Aware Off
From personal experience, I had a couple of quotes recently to change my doors and windows, now what you really need to be careful off is that all, yes all double glazing sales reps will highly inflate the price, in my case on both occasions I was giving a near £30K price to change all doors and windows in my detached property. I knew that was a high number, so immediately the rep calls his manager and asked to give a discount. Guess what! I was given 50% off.
Immediately someone like me seeing such an amazing offer would accept surely! Oh not a chance, if you barter with the sales rep and ask him to reduce the price further he would say no. So in this instance, tell the rep that you will think about it and let him know next couple of days as you need think about it. Trust me, the company will call you the next day offering you an even more discount.
How crazy is this?
The next time someone comes knocking on your door trying to sell you new windows, beware! It could be a case of the double glazing scam. This is a scheme where homeowners are duped into buying new windows at an exorbitant price by slick salespeople. The best way to avoid being scammed is to simply not answer the door when they come calling. But if you do find yourself face-to-face with one of these salespeople, don’t be afraid to ask for their ID or business card so you can do some research before making a decision. And under no circumstances should you ever sign anything on the spot without reading it over carefully first. By following these simple tips, you can protect yourself from becoming a victim of this devious scheme.
