Jun 8, 2010 10:39 pm US/Central
Duct-Cleaning Company Accused Of Consumer Fraud
2 Investigators First Exposed Deceptive Practices Of American Pure Air
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Investigators call it a bait and switch. A company promises a service for cheap, then uses scare tactics to milk you for much more. Now the Cook County State's Attorney's office wants to shut an "air duct cleaning company" down. CBS 2 Investigator Pam Zekman first exposed the apparent scam.
It can take hours and hundreds of dollars to properly clean air ducts with a giant vacuum. But ads that offer special low cost deals are deceptive, according to a consumer fraud complaint filed Tuesday by the Cook County State's Attorney against American Pure Air.
"A $79 or $99 deal can quickly turn into a $1,000 bill or $1,500 final bill," said Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Hudson.
For example, a Park Ridge homeowner's bill added in $700 worth of sanitizers and an ultraviolet light for $100, to supposedly cure a problem the salesman discovered after conducting a test.
"He took a Q-tip, applied it to the inside cover of the furnace, dipped it in the vial, and said that if the vial turned black, that would show the presence of black mold at the house. And sure enough, the vial turned black," said Hudson.
Even if it was black mold, Hudson said, "We do not believe the fixes will solve a black mold problem."
In other cases, like Vivian Schwan's, the company's unlimited duct-cleaning special was pretty limited.
Schwan said they opened up only two air ducts only out of 18 she has on three floors.
"In most cases, one or two feet from the vent opening are cleaned and the rest of the vent is left dirty," Hudson said.
An attorney for American Pure Air said he cannot comment on the complaint because his client has not been served with it. But he says the company offers legitimate and appropriate services, and has a money-back guarantee for unsatisfied customers. And he says the company does not manufacture health hazards to sell more services.
If you have a complaint about an air duct-cleaning company, contact the
Cook County State's Attorney's office at (312) 603-8700, or call the
Better Business Bureau at (312) 832-0500.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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