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If your home has a chimney, you could be the target of a scam. Each year homeowners receive unsolicited offers, either through a knock at the door or a flyer in the mail, for a low-cost chimney cleaning. While the offers usually run from $30 to $50, the cleaner often collects this fee, does not do the work, and then informs the consumer that he needs several thousand dollars worth of repairs that must be done immediately. Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued this consumer alert to warn Arkansans about this scam.
"Chimney sweeping is not heavily regulated," said McDaniel, "which is why this is one area of home maintenance where the homeowner must be particularly vigilant."
Homeowners should be particularly wary of offers that are advertised as "limited time only" or claim that they are running a special because they are working in your neighborhood. If you receive a call about this service, the representative may claim to be from your chimney cleaning company, even if you don't have one. Scare tactics are also a red flag. For instance, if you are told by a door-to-door salesman that the chimney is crumbling, carbon monoxide is present, and your family could be in serious danger unless it is repaired immediately by him, he is more than likely running a scam.
Chimneys do need upkeep and occasional repair over time. They can pose a legitimate fire hazard, and there are legitimate companies that specialize in chimney repair, cleaning and replacement.
When you wish to have your chimney inspected, repaired or cleaned, you should shop around for a respectable company to do the work. Look for a company that has been certified as a "Clean Sweep" by the Chimney Safety Institute of America. Once you have found a company, verify its reputation and job performance through your local Better Business Bureau, www.bbb.org. Do not be tempted to take an unsolicited door-to-door offer because it is cheap, as you will most likely see no return on the $40 or $50 up-front fee.
If you have fallen victim to a chimney sweep scam, file a complaint with the Public Protection Department of the Arkansas Attorney General's office at 501-682-2341 or toll-free, statewide at 1-800-482-8982.
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