Allen HVAC Contractor warns of potential scams.

Allen HVAC Contractor Steve Lauten, President of Total Air and Heat Co., warns consumers to beware of potential scams from unlicensed technicians.

Let the buyer beware is sage advice but even the most astute shopper can fall victim to a bad purchase, or worse, become the target of a feloneous scam.

Typical schemes appeal the the natural desire to save money and start with a statement similar to... "A sweet deal like this does not come around often".  When you hear a technician offering you a deal that is too good to be true be sure to keep a close guard on your wallet.

While not every good deal is a scam and not every interesting proposal is an invitation to disaster you need to keep a sense of proportion and you should always get a second opinion, especially if you are being asked to replace major system components.  As you consider the soundness of the offers you are being presented with keep these thoughts in mind:

• If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.  Be especially wary of great deals that offer a convenient fix to credit problems, let you skip credit card payments, or attract you with other enticements like low interest credit terms, business and job opportunities, risk free investments, or free travel.
• Quick, Convenient Cash from Payday Loans comes with high interest rates.  High interest rates on payday or tax refund loans can be so exhorbitant that it is often better to pay the high, but lesser, interest rates that come from credit card cash advances.
• Rent to Own Purchases are almost always attached to high prices and high interest rates. The prices that you pay for rent-to-own property, real estate or personal property, are always higher than you would pay if you have cash or financing in place, and if you miss a payment you are likely to end up with nothing at all.
• Work-at-Home Ads may sound appealing and like a good employment option but they rarely pay off and ususally involve a very low compensation rate for those that actually do pay off.
• Home Improvements and Auto Repair Scams - the arean of home improvements and auto repairs have traditionally attracted a healty level of dishonest and low quality vendors and providers due to the lack of regulation and licensing and the difficulties of enforcement. Remember that even if the services being offered are being offered by someone who intends to do the work that the results can still turn out negatively if the work is performed in a sloppy, negligent, or careless manner. The ability of a roofer to damage a HVAC system is very significant, for example. Something as simple as dropping roofing nails into a compressor can cause significant damage to a system.

Be sure to check out the vendors making offers. If the state has a licensing requirement, as for HVAC Contractors, be sure to make sure that the license is valid. Use the Internet to check out the vendors reputations with websites like Angie's List, etc.  A little professional skepticism and background checking can save you an untold amount of money and anxiety in the long run.

Steve Lauten is president of Total Air and Heat Company, a residential and light commercial Allen HVAC Contractor that’s been serving the Dallas Metroplex since 1957. He’s immediate past president of the North Texas chapter of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America. For more information, he can be reached at 972/881-0020.