People tend to overlook appliance repairs until something major happens and disrupts their routine. However, in times of urgency, scammers may take advantage and land you in a troublesome situation. There are numerous repair ads that appear legit but turn out to be a scam later on. Let’s give a quick read to some common appliance repair scams in India.
Common Appliance Service Scams
Smart appliances are trending these days and they come with high repair costs. With that, it is important to know who you are letting into your home. You need to prevent yourself from falling into the trap of “pretending real technicians” who adopt dishonest practices.
Sense of urgency
Many times, a technician might pressurize you to immediately decide upon fixing an issue or major replacement. Identifying this sign is one of the easiest ways if you want to know how to avoid appliance service frauds in India.
If the technician is insisting you to replace an appliance part or claiming the issue is beyond fixing, it is a scam. A reputed appliance repair service provider will always first provide an explanation to the issue and a possible solution. They let you take the time to decide if you are willing to replace the faulty part and ensure transparency at every step.
Vague pricing
Scammers, quite often, provide you with an exorbitantly huge amount of bill for the repairs they performed, without prior intimation. This is commonly seen with an increasing figure of AC service scam in India.
Scammers insist that you pay immediately and any delays would cause significant damage to your appliance. In many cases, they do not even take the opportunity to inform you before performing a costly replacement. If the technician performing the appliance repair is scaring you, know that it is a scam.
Fake identity
A good number of scammers use fake company names for the repair services they offer. Many of the common appliance repair scams in India happen due to negligence towards company name verification.
Fake appliance repair companies will always change their business address and contact details constantly. While they might be local, scammers may redirect the calls to a distant center. So, you must always verify the business address, company name and go through the reviews before hiring a technician.
Tips to avoid appliance repair scams
Scammers run sponsored ads on search engines and social media to depict themselves as authorized service centers. They would use the names of reputed appliance brands like Samsung, LG, Bosch and Whirlpool. However, there are a few tips that you can follow to get safe appliance repair services near me.
Verifying business
A reliable appliance service provider will have a genuine physical business address. Additionally, they will also have a registered license for their business and valid contact details.
You must verify the business details before booking for the appliance servicing or repairs. If you are unable to find their business address or contact details, it is a red flag that you must not ignore. They are not genuine home appliance repair service providers and might scam you later.
Customer Reviews
One of the easiest ways to avoid getting scammed by a fraud appliance repair service provider is to look for reviews. A legit appliance repair company will be easily available on search engines and carry honest customer reviews.
To avoid falling into common appliance repair scams in India, you must invest time in going through the Google reviews of the provider. Make sure you make a booking only when you have trust that they will provide promising and genuine services. If all you can see is positive reviews, it surely feels unreal and too good to be true.
Written Estimates
Obtaining a written estimate is another great way to avoid getting scammed by an unreliable technician. A trustworthy appliance service provider will never step back from providing a written estimate before starting servicing.
If they are offering vague pricing or deny to provide a written estimate, the service providers are not legitimate. Asking for a detailed written estimate is an easy way to prevent overcharging. If you are seeking how to avoid appliance service frauds in India, you can do this to ensure transparency.
Wrapping Up
Scams are easy to happen in the appliance repair world and very good branding may often come with false promises. Well, you must know how to spot the scammers from the legitimate ones to save yourself from fraud. Now that you know the signs, follow these tips to ensure you have the best professionals for appliance repair.
