5 Ways to Spot Garage Door Scams

5 Ways to Spot Garage Door Scams

Whether you’re dealing with a broken garage door or you’ve just had a so-called repair person show up on your doorstep offering free estimates, you should always be alert to scams in this industry. Unfortunately, scams are common because the garage door installation industry is unregulated. Anyone can claim they have the experience and training necessary to work on your garage door — even if they don’t actually have it. Sometimes, scammers even have professional-looking websites and vehicles, making it harder to spot the lie.

The more you’re aware of common tactics and techniques used on unsuspecting homeowners, the easier it will be to avoid garage door scams. Check out five of the most common types of garage door scams.

1. Generic Companies 

A trustworthy garage door company will clearly and consistently promote its name and brand. Most legitimate garage door businesses have branded vehicles, clothing and paperwork so that you can easily identify them. Scammers may use generic business names and not have a website or physical address. Their communication style may also be generic and inconsistent. 

Even if a company’s truck and website look good, be sure to check that the business branding is consistent throughout all its materials and communications. Some scammers could create a realistic appearance, but upon closer inspection, you may find their website missing key information like customer reviews and a secure payment process. You might not even be able to find them on online directories like the HomeStars 

2. Low Estimates 

While garage door installation and repair prices vary, an extremely low quote should raise a red flag. Quality garage doors and professional installation cost a certain amount. If you get an estimate that is significantly lower than industry averages, you’ll want to do some research into the company and whether they are legitimate. 

You’ll especially want to be on guard if the company requests fees and payments upfront before actually inspecting your door or providing a repair service.

3. Lifetime Guarantees

Some scammers may offer promising benefits like a lifetime guarantee. This may sound great, but scammers could use low-quality parts that aren’t meant to last. Scammers will do this so that you’ll have to call them out for a repair not long after your new parts or garage door has been installed. 

Then, when you reach out for replacement parts, they’ll bring more low-quality parts and charge an extensive labour or installation fee that wasn’t listed in the fine print. This is their way of ensuring you have to call them several times throughout the life span of your garage door. 

4. Rebuild or Hardware Schemes

This is one of the most common garage door repair scams. When a professional comes out for maintenance or repair work, they’ll inform you that other parts of your garage door system need to be repaired or replaced. Your technician may falsely explain that other elements, ranging from springs, tracks, and brackets to the entire door, are either broken or damaged beyond repair, which will drive up the original service estimate. There may also be additional installation charges added to your bill that you weren’t expecting.

What you originally thought would be a quick and simple issue then turns into an extensive — and expensive — repair job.

At Whitby Garage Doors, we only suggest the parts that need to be replaced and provide a quote before doing any of the work. We will also recommend parts that could prolong the life of your garage door to save on future service visits.

5. Unidentified or Not Local to Your Community 

If a technician shows up at your doorstep and doesn’t share many details about their company or experience, you should be a little suspicious. Some scams involve sending out unidentified independent contractors who may not have any license or in-depth experience installing and repairing garage doors. Because they are unidentified, you might not be able to reach them if you have any questions or experience any issues. 

Additionally, if a garage door company tells you their office is far away from where you live — say you live in Whitby, and they claim to have an office in Barrie — you’ll want to think twice. The company you work with should have a relatively close office that you can visit. Most legitimate companies will have a limited service area in their community so they can promptly respond and meet homeowner needs.

How to Avoid a Garage Door Scam

While garage door scams can happen anywhere and to anyone, there are several things you can do to avoid falling victim to one:

  • Research the technician and company: If someone shows up without branded clothing or an identifiable vehicle, think twice before you trust what they say. Take the time to thoroughly research the garage door company. Check to see if they have a website, address, phone number and social media accounts. See if you can find any reviews or customer feedback on their website or on the HomeStars. You can also research their name followed by words like “complaint” or “scam” to see if anything comes up on Google.
  • Get a second opinion: If you get a price that seems too good to be true — or a list of extensive repairs — then get a second opinion from another company. You may find that your original estimate is hiding some fees or that you really don’t need as much repair work as the technician claimed. 
  • Request your repair estimate and guarantees in writing: When you have key communication in writing, you’ll have proof if the company ever tries to make unexpected changes. You’ll also be able to read through any fine print before you authorize their work.
  • Ask for recommendations: Your friends and family members can be a great resource for finding reputable garage door companies in your area. At some point, they most likely have had a technician come out to repair or install a garage door. Asking them for recommendations can help you avoid scammers.

How to Report a Garage Door Scam 

If you’ve recently experienced a garage door scam or a suspected scammer has shown up at your doorstep, you can report the individual or company to prevent others from falling victim. While the industry is unregulated, a scammer could face criminal charges for what they’ve done. 

You can report the incident to your local authorities and use the BBB Scam Tracker. This free tool is designed to collect suspected scams and warn others so they don’t experience the same repair scam or fraudulent activity. 

Contact Whitby Garage Doors for Reliable Garage Door Service  

If you sense that something doesn’t seem right about a garage door company, your suspicions should encourage you to double-check their legitimacy. If you’re a homeowner in the Whitby, Ontario, area, you can turn to Whitby Garage Doors. As a proud authorized dealer of Clopay® and LiftMaster® products, we specialize in high-quality garage door services.

Since our founding in 1988, we’ve served our community with same-day service and competitive prices. Contact us today to request a quote or schedule a service.





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