How to Spot an Air Conditioner Scam Artist!

How to Spot an Air Conditioner Scammer

A few of our clients have mentioned run-ins with air conditioning scam artists. Each of these customers was visited by an unknown service technician claiming to be from Appleby Systems on a scheduled furnace maintenance call.

Fortunately, these customers were longstanding Appleby Systems customers, and knew when their regular maintenance was scheduled.

If a technician shows up at your door claiming to be there for a scheduled maintenance call but you don’t remember booking it, there are a few ways you can determine whether or not the technician really is there on a legitimate maintenance job or whether they’re just trying to get inside your home.

Easy ways to spot an air conditioner scammer

1. A plain truck: Each customer reported an unmarked van, rather than the usual brightly decorated van with Appleby Systems adorned on the side. If the technician’s truck is unmarked, they aren’t with Appleby. After all, when we’re out in the community, why wouldn’t we want to broadcast it?
2. Uniforms: Our technicians wear clearly branded uniforms every day. If the technician isn’t wearing the standard Appleby Systems uniform (including a hat and golf shirt or sweater clearly marked with Appleby Systems’ logo), they aren’t with us.
3. A branded Appleby Systems invoice: Your service tech will have an invoice for you to look over before/after your service is complete, and that invoice should contain a clear Appleby Systems logo. If the technician isn’t willing to show you an invoice, or the invoice they show you doesn’t have the Appleby Systems logo, they aren’t who they claim to be.
4. A phone call: Ask the technician to call back to the office so the office can call you to confirm the validity of the scheduled service. One customer requested this and the call came back from an unidentifiable number. When you get a call from Applyby Systems, it will say so directly on your phone. If the number appears blocked, unavailable or from anywhere else, they aren’t with Appleby. You could also ask them to wait at the door while you call the number at the top of our website.
5. Certification: All our technicians are gas certified with a Technical Standards & Safety Authority (TSAA) number. They carry this certification at all times and will provide it for you when asked. This is an official technical document, and if the technician can’t show you one, they aren’t with Appleby.

What should you do?

Say goodbye, close the door and write down their license plate if you safely can. Then give us a call to let us know you’ve been visited by this shady scammer.

Appleby technicians are identifiable in all the ways listed above. Don’t let somebody claiming to be something they’re not inside your home.