Written They want to get into your house. If they are an actual duct cleaning company they will come in and do a little work. At that point they’ll start telling you about how they could use a spray for an extra charge, or replace your filters. (I checked later, there were NO filters in the system after they “replaced” mine. *sighs*I don’t have any personal experience with this but I have heard that they could also be using the cleaning as an excuse for coming in to case your house. That is to say, they’re looking to see how good your stuff is to maybe send a crew to come steal later. :/Written On the less-criminal end, it sounds like they’re just cold-calling you. But Tonya is right - they could also be casing, you never know. However, I’d err on the side of cold-calling, since you said that they’ve been calling you for years.You can put your number on a no-call list. Describe your project and send it out to our top rated service providers.          No membership or credit card requiredHouse CleaningHvacNo thanks, I'm not quite ready.

Duct cleaning companies pay $55,000 for violating do-not-call list Four companies have paid, but CRTC is seeking money from five more By Pete Evans, CBC News Posted: Mar 24, 2015 12:18 PM ET Last Updated: Mar 24, 2015 12:18 PM EThoneywell cpz air purifier Four duct-cleaning companies paid penalties for calls to numbers on the do-not-call list. austin air hega air purifiersFive more face penalties. kenmore hepa supreme air cleaning system Canada's telecom regulator says four air duct cleaning companies paid a total of $55,000 as part of a settlement following violations for unsolicited phone calls to potential customers. After consumers complained about violations to Canada's Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules — the so-called "Do Not Call" list that bans unsolicited business offers via phone — the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission launched an investigation into nine Toronto-area duct cleaning companies.

In addition to the $55,000 paid by four companies, the regulator also says it issued notices of violation accompanied by monetary penalties totalling $94,000 for five more. "We are pleased to report that four of the nine companies cooperated with the investigations and have voluntarily ceased making unsolicited telemarketing calls to Canadians," the CRTC's chief compliance and enforcement officer Manon Bombardier said in a statement. The list of companies that have paid, and how much, is as follows: These five companies were issued a notice of violation and an administrative monetary penalty, and now have 30 days to respond: Aqua Duct Cleaning Services – $9,000 Goodlife Home Services Inc. – $16,000 Kareem Duct Cleaning – $15,000 N. Bro Transport Inc. – $14,000 Toronto Breeze Air Duct Cleaning Services Inc. – $40,000​ All nine companies used  foreign call centres to make the unauthorized calls, and the CRTC says it sent warning letters to seven call centres located in Pakistan, India and the U.S.

"The CRTC reminds telemarketers that it is their responsibility to adhere to the rules, whether they make the calls themselves or through a third party in Canada or abroad," the regulator said in a release. Since being implemented in 2008, more than 12.8 million Canadians have signed up to be on the Do Not Call list. The CRTC says Canadians can register their numbers, verify whether a number is on the List or file a complaint about a telemarketer by calling 1-866-580-DNCL (3625) or visiting www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca. So far, the CRTC has issued monetary penalties worth over $6 million and other penalties worth $741,000 for violations to the list. Depressed crude prices push North American markets down Twitter shares jump more than 21% on report of takeover talks Cost of living rose by 1.1% in August, Statistics Canada says Black market dealers reveal secret to super cheap cellphone plans BMO senior economist Alex Koustas on the accelerating sales of luxury cars

Trish Hennesy of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives on potential issues that come with Airbnb and competitors Dale Carlson, co-founder, ShareBetter SF, on San Francisco's moves to regulate home sharing Dianne Buckner looks at the tools being developed to help police conduct roadside drug tests Watch The Exchange here Recent shows and interviews Recent discussions about business news and newsmakers The data on this site is informational only and may be delayed; it is not intended as trading or investment advice and you should not rely on it as such. Not all Alberta businesses opposed to $15 minimum wage Real estate groups lobby against calls for GTA foreign buyers tax 'We need to fix this': Big telcos hoard fibre optic networks despite CRTC order Canada's destination for original journalism and stories with added depth and context. Stay Connected with CBC NewsThe Hacker Factor Blog Tools, Techniques, and Tangents

About Dr. Neal Krawetz writes The Hacker Factor Blog. Follow him on Twitter. Popular Posts • How Not to do Image Analysis Part I and Part II • Looks Like It • Body By Victoria • Direct Deposit, Direct Withdrawl Tools FotoForensics: Test your own photos. Gender Guesser: Use your words. Math with Bad Drawings Thursday, 13 August 2015 Don't Forget to Vote! Tuesday, 4 November 2014 Friday, 19 September 2014 Phone calls with Brangelina Saturday, 22 March 2014 Take it to the Street Sunday, 16 March 2014 Raleigh, N.C. — WRAL’s 5 On Your Side has received complaints of repeated telemarketing calls and ballooning bills. They're tied to an air duct cleaning company.Some viewers are angry about what happened after they agreed to the low cost service offer. For example, a Holly Springs couple was ultimately charged 25 times the initial quote. But most of those who complained just want the calls to stop.“

It was so frustrating to me. I was just trying to figure out any way to make them stop calling me," said Raleigh resident Shelly Bohn, who says Indoor Air Quality ignored her repeated requests. “They would just laugh at me, or make jokes or say ‘yeah’ and hang up.”Frustrated, Bohn did something unconventional."I made the appointment,” she said.When the crew showed up to her house, she handed them a letter demanding that they stop calling her.“As he started reading it, I picked up my phone and said, ‘And here's a picture of you getting the letter,’” Bohn said.The crew quickly took off in their unmarked van. Bohn says they stopped calling after she threatened to sue for harassment.Holly Springs couple Bette and Joe Jankowski say they hired the company to check out their air ducts and air conditioning.“(The worker) said, ‘Look at this … You’ve got mold and mildew,’” Bette Jankowski recalled. “He said, ‘Well, we're in bad shape. This has all got to be cleaned up.’”

The Jankowskis gave the OK for the cleaning and say they were stunned by the final bill.“Our $59.95 service call ended up being almost $1,500,” Bette Jankowski said, adding that the worker wanted the payment in full right then. “He really argued about it.”The man finally accepted $300 and agreed to let the family do a payment plan for the remainder of the bill. The Jankowskis say they feel scammed, especially after another company said their ducts had not been cleaned. The couple hasn't heard from Indoor Air Quality since."It's not right,” Bette Jankowski said.Should you have the air ducts in your home cleaned?How to avoid "dirty" duct cleanersAttorney General: Don't get blown away by air duct cleaning scamAccording to the Better Business Bureau, Indoor Air Quality goes by several names, including Green Air Care. They have an "F" rating. WRAL’s 5 On Your Side talked to the owners in California, who said they stopped doing business in North Carolina because of "too many problems,” saying the BBB and competitors gave them a bad name.