It is not wrong to be cautious when choosing a technician or an auto glass shop to fix a broken windshield. The glass industry is not free of scams and swindles.
One example of a windshield swindle is mentioned in an article on AGDNow.com. According to an article on AGDNow.com, people should watch out for what is called a ‘windshield swindle’, a term coined by trustworthy people in the glass repair industry.
The swindle begins with a stranger at a gas station or a carwash forcefully telling someone that the windshield of their car is broken and needs to be repaired. The stranger then offers a free windshield replacement, telling the person that the expenses will be covered by the driver’s insurance.
Further, the stranger even offers to give the driver a certain amount of money on the spot and make a promise about an incentive for a referral. The type of swindle can actually jeopardize the insurance plan of the person by increasing the monthly bills and even put the person in jail.
The article also offers a list of some scams that might be encountered by customers. Below are some of them.
Crooks will insist on replacing a windshield that is devoid of any damage. They then deceive the insurance provider that a windshield repair is necessary and send a bill with inflated replacement fees.
With crooks, even a tiny chip or crack in a windshield glass will require replacement. Crooks also charge insurance companies for repairs that are not actually made.
Scammers may resort to charging the car insurance company for two windshield replacement jobs instead of only one and they do it without the consent of the policy holder. They use the insurance information of the policy holder to overbill the insurance company. The monthly bills of the policy holder will increase as a consequence.
There are technicians who are not qualified to do auto glass repairs. They usually do not have a physical office but rather work out of their car or truck. Fake technicians usually search for victims at gas stations, carwashes and other places where people are found standing outside of their car.