Has anyone experienced this: you receive a text from an individual claiming to have purchased a house in a city you service stating that they are in need of your service (usually a specific service - window cleaning, gutter cleaning, etc.) and they ask for an estimate, then after giving estimate they ask if you take credit cards. The one I dealt with last week, I told them I can do paypal, but they said they could not use method. Today I just received my third text like this, not from the same number, and it sure appears to be a fraud.
Fraud , just tell them you don’t accept credit cards
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Just subscribe them to the naughty otters newsletter.
You don’t need an account to use paypal. That’s the beauty of it.
The scam is that they will be out of the country and want the clean done before they return - but its ok because they’re happy to pay in advance. The accidentally overpay & ask you to refund the excess via western union money transfer,… but 3 - 4 weeks later your bank will tell you that the credit card transaction was a fraud & your account is suddenly down the amount of their payment - most of which you’ve already sent back to them via an untraceable and non-refundable route…
Well… I accidentally under charged. This sounds crazy there willing to forward you there money , than ask for a certain amount back. An take a chance that I’m going to forward it back the way they want , or I’m I missing something?
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They’re using a stolen credit card so when the stolen funds are reported, the CC company takes the money out of your account and you lose!
Foe example say you charge the stolen card for $1,200 and then refund them $500 (cash) by Western Union, then the CC company takes the $1,200 back out of your account and you have just been ripped off for 500 bucks with no way to get your money back.
Wow!!! That is slick. I don’t think I would fall for it . The Red Flag to me is sending me full payment before the job is done . NO one does that especially here in NY unless there a past customer even then its rare. Estimating ya I have giving prices over the phone , but when I get into the 500 and above houses I want to see them , and its a text no voice discussion lol sorry . I hope I get one now… ya I know the jist of it now , but send me a money order jack…
What am I saying I don’t even except credit cards after I wrote all this I just realized. LOL
I don’t accept credits cards I can’t swipe in person and I don’t do phone estimates
What if someone says they just have 20 windows your going to go out of your way for a 20 window job. I can see if it was right were you are living or near where you will be one day.
Not me here is the price here is the day I’m available yes/no next
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I don’t. Haven’t had a PP account in years.
Its way too much of a hassle to turn PayPal bucks into real dollars.
Have you checked out Square? It has a credit card reader that snaps into your cell and can take a card on the spot.
I use Square and I love it, so easy to use and doesn’t cost anything unless you use it and when you do use it the fees are reasonable.
Mike Radzik
Pro Window Cleaning
Central Massachusetts
Home
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And suppose you get out there after quoting say 15 bucks a window over the phone and discover there are some 3rd story windows you weren’t told about in that 20 and all the windows are colonials and have Bermuda shutters on them.
I have learned 3 things about phone estimates…
I have yet to meet a customer that has the same “window count” I come up with
I have yet to meet an “over the phone only” customer who tells me the the “complete truth” about their job
I have yet to meet an over the phone only customer who doesn’t, “hold every thing I say against me in a court of law.”
Suppose those 20 windows you quoted ends up taking you and two others 6 hours. Now you have 18 man hours in a 300 dollar job
Bermuda shutters, by the way…
We just did a house, this week, with 30 windows like this and 16 were 2nd floor. You can’t use WFP because you can get to the top of the glass. You have to mop and squeegee
@ bumblebee- “Thanks for calling, we’re currently running a $199 Window special in/out up to 20 windows. Excluding french pane and storm windows, additional Windows are $8-10 per pane . Customer answers, great, I’ll put you on our schedule. We’ll get an official window count when we arrive and go over any changes and the job total with you before we get started.”- works more often than not. You have them a total, and told them what each additional is, and that you’ll get your official count when arrive the day of the job and go over it all with them before starting. That has worked very well for me, coupled with pulling their home up on Google maps for a quick peek.
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So you get out there and your 199 dollar job turns into a 325 dollar job, what do you do?
Customer says, “you told me 199 dollars up to 20 windows, I have 19 windows, and you want $325?”
You say, “I also told you over the phone, [COLOR=#333333]We’ll get an official window count when we arrive and go over any changes and the job total with you before we get started.”
Customer says, “bait and switch, you said $199 for 20 windows. I have 19 windows. You said colonials and storms were extra. You didn’t say anything extra about upper floors or landscaping issues.”
Now you have an angry customer, how you going to close this deal and get away without getting bad-mouthed to their entire circle of friends?[/COLOR]
This is very simple. If they tell me they have a small house with Minimal windows . I ask how many an what type , then guide them through it. Ask the right questions. Them I tell them this is a ball park based on what your telling me. If for some reason it’s different we will have to adjust the price accordingly . Most importantly I email them an estimate with exactly what they told me. I let them know there will be an xtra charge for extremely dirty windows, Or storm windows , French windows etc.
I have adjusted the price plenty of times , and of course there is the occasional thanks but no thanks.
That’s that its a small house I don’t think they can not understand there in s small house. If they start telling me they have different types of windows yada yada Yada then I’m going there . If they get lost or don’t understand what they have them I’m going.
On small houses most people know what they have around here it’s either casements or double hungs . I’m not driving 30 min out of my way for a 200 -250 job. If not needed
TBH maybe this year I priced 6 over the phone 5 worked out one didn’t . It has to be someone who :
- is willing to go through the the questions
- Who is competent
Believe me I’ve pull the plug half way through. Ya know " hmm One in the bedroom two in carols room oh no wait what are casements again. " Ok I’ll just come over no worries.
When your busy I’d rather try over the phone for a small house if it fails it fails. When I’m slow I’m going there. That’s all
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