Do you get calls from duct cleaning services? Those who do say it’s a memorable experience – not in a good way.“For years now, and despite having our name on the Do Not Call List, we receive at least three calls a week from these firms, coming at pretty much all hours between 8 in the morning and 10 at night,” says Ronald Weir, who lives in Thornhill, Ont. “I can’t figure out what’s so special about duct cleaning. There are other household services that could be offered – eavestrough cleaning, window washing, rug shampooing. Why have duct cleaners chosen to market so aggressively and annoyingly?”Gary Lapstra, owner of Ontario Duct Cleaning – which does not use telemarketing calls – explains that duct cleaning is a hot business opportunity.“It’s fairly easy to set up a company for a modest amount. You buy lists of prospects and tell people they’re getting a real deal, only $99 to $129,” he says. “We charge an average $300 to $325 and stay one and a half to two hours.

You can’t make a decent living on less. These companies up-sell consumers on extras, such as disinfectants, when they get into the home. Consumers end up paying $500 for the service.”Persistent duct cleaning solicitations have been a nuisance for years. Those who registered for the Do Not Call List, set up in fall 2008, hoped they would disappear. The CRTC decided to investigate duct cleaning last year. It found some interesting patterns:Almost all of the telemarketing complaints came from the Greater Toronto Area, going as far as Mississauga and York Region, but occasionally to Barrie, Hamilton or Oshawa. Most of the sales pitches came from call centres in Karachi, Pakistan, while a few were located in India and the United States.All of the cases involved phone number spoofing, a practice used by foreign telemarketers to disguise where they are and make people think the call is coming from their local area code.“The spoofing made our investigation more labour-intensive, since the numbers were constantly changing,” says Tom Lowry, director of telecommunications enforcement at Canada’s telecom regulator.

“When spoofed, some Canadians actually booked an appointment and had the duct cleaners come with their trucks, so they could take down the information. We don’t encourage that since it can lead to fights and fisticuffs.”Robert Fitzsimons, a Toronto resident, told me was getting twice weekly calls from a company at 416-237-7216. When he tried to call back, he’d get a recording that it wasn’t in service. (It’s still not in service.)The probe culminated March 24 with the news that four duct cleaning services would pay $55,000 in penalties as part of a settlement with the CRTC. They had violated the rules by making unsolicited calls without being registered with the do not call list and without having purchased a subscription.Cambridge Heating Services and Top Line Air Duct Cleaning Services will pay $23,000 each. Bride Home Services will pay $6,000 and HR Home Services will pay $3,000.Five other companies received a notice of violation and will pay penalties if they fail to respond after a 30-day comment period.

They are Goodlife Home Services ($16,000), Kareem Duct Cleaning ($15,000), N. Bro Transport ($14,000), Toronto Breeze Air Duct Cleaning Services ($14,000) and Aqua Duct Cleaning ($9,000). I used to think the CRTC’s hands were tied when trying to stop unwanted telemarketing pitches originating from foreign call centres. I’m starting to change my mind, especially after another big announcement on March 30.An Arizona-based company, known as Rainmaker Marketing/Maple Accounting, has received a notice of violation and $145,000 penalty for making prerecorded, automated calls to Canadians whose numbers were registered for the do not call list. edelbrock round air cleanerIt offered to lower their credit card rates.air duct cleaning alpharetta gaPersonal information is requested such as SIN, mother’s maiden name, date of birth and the credit card number with the expiry date of the cards they want reduced, says the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre about this scam. air duct cleaning newark delaware

“Just because you’re outside Canada, you’re not exempt from the rules,” Lowry says, insisting that the CRTC will work with foreign partners to track down telemarketers if they break the Canadian rules. Ellen Roseman writes about personal finance and consumer issues. /air-duct-cleaning-fort-collins on this server.Carpet, Duct, Kitchen Hoods, Pressure Washing & Grease Traps Cleaning  Book Now! London’s largest and highly recommended firm. We are proud of serving the cleaning needs of London and area for over 40 years. Call to get a Free Quote or 24hr Emergency Service For any cleaning need you may have and you can expect prompt, courteous service; including emergency flood clean up. We guarantee our workmanship 100% Any time you call, no matter the time of day, you will get a member of our knowledgeable staff to help you. We do not use answering machines or services. You always reach someone who is trained to answer your questions and to help you in any way they are able.

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