11/4/2016 Don't Get Stung by These Pest Control Scams | Angies List

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Here are four of the most common

pest control scams and how to spot

them.

Pest control (https://www.angieslist.com/household-

pest-control/) is sometimes a necessity.

March 3,2016

By DougBonderud,Angie's ListContributor

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(https://www.angieslist.com/articles/bed-bug-infestation-risks-pesticides-and-insecticides.htm)

Bed Bug Infestation: Risks fromPesticides and Insecticides(/articles/bed-bug-infestation-risks-pesticides-and-insecticides.htm)

Getting rid of a bed bug infestation can

become costly, but it doesn't have to

pose a risk to your health.

Serious bed bug or termite infestations aren't

something you should tackle on your own with retail

products because they treat only the symptom

(visible pests) rather than the cause (hive or nest). To

remove pests in your home completely, professional

help is often the best choice, but unfortunately the

market is filled with pest control scams.

Here are four of the most popular rip-off

schemes and how to spot them.

Related Article

The "licensed" company scam

This one is tough to spot at first glance. You call a

company — a reputable one, at that — and they

send out a licensed technician. Every state has its

own laws concerning pest control, but most require

companies to certify any employee who sprays

pesticide in a home.

You take a look at the employee's license

(https://www.angieslist.com/articles/angie%E2%80%

99s-list-license-check.htm), agree to the

estimate and everything seems legit. When your

appointment time rolls around, a different technician

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shows up and goes to work. Since he has a

company truck and uniform, you don't worry about

it, until your pests don't disappear.

Here's what you need to know: In some states,

companies can have a single, licensed professional

who "trains" other employees on the job. Scam

artists have their single trained employee sit at the

shop, available to "consult" workers in the field, who

might not know how to proper handle chemicals.

Always ask to see a license from anyone using

pesticides in your home.

The free inspection scam

These scammers show up unannounced and offer a

free pest inspection. What starts out innocently

enough turns into a minor emergency when the pest

control "pro" finds evidence of termites, ants or bed

bugs. In some cases, pest control scammers deposit

the corpses of a few dead bugs on your floor while

walking around and then "discover" them.

Never hire someone who's just come to your door,

and never take their word for a pest infestation.

Always get a second opinion.

The permanent contract scam

This is one of the most insidious pest control scams.

It starts out well enough, with you contacting a pest

control pro who provides a solid estimate, shows up

on time and completes the job. But when he's done

spraying, he tells you a single application won't

eliminate all of your pests, and you need to sign a

year-long contract to ensure complete eradication.

What's more, he tells you if there's still evidence of

bugs at the end of the year, the contract renews

automatically.

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While most states have laws against these type of

self-renew contracts, it's easy to feel pressured into

signing something long-term, especially if it means

better pest control. The truth is, however, that you

should need only a single pesticide application to

control most infestations. If there's a reason a

second round is required, your pest control expert

should be able to explain why and should never

pressure you into signing anything.

The bed bug box scam

Bed bugs (https://www.angieslist.com/pest-

control/bedbugs.htm)are a hot topic because they're

on the upswing in many major cities. This pest

control scam takes advantage of your fear when you

discover you have bed bugs and want to get rid of

them immediately.

The pest pro tells you he's going to "heat kill" the

bugs, which comes from a University of Virginia

study showing that bed bugs and their eggs die

when exposed to extreme heat. 140 degrees

Fahrenheit or more maintained over several hours

will kill all bed bug nests in your home. A pest

control scammer, however, tells you he can

accomplish this by raising your home to this

temperature using portable heaters.

The problem? That he won't be able to keep your

entire house this hot for long enough, and the bugs

will simply migrate to cooler areas, such as the

basement. When your contractor leaves, the bugs

will come back, and you'll put in another call for

service.

Hiring a pro

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5 Reasons to Hire a Pest ControlCompany (/articles/5-reasons-hire-pest-control-company.htm)

How much does it cost to hire an

exterminator to eliminate pests?

If you need to hire a professional pest control expert

(https://www.angieslist.com/pest-control/hiring-an-

exterminator.htm), always ask to see that person's

license, check Angie' List

(https://my.angieslist.com/Angieslist/join/pages/new

account.aspx)for company reviews and never sign a

contract for ongoing work. Real pros stand on their

reputation and service, not high-pressure scare and

deception tactics.

Editor's note: This is an updated version of an article

originally posted on March 19, 2013.

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