How to Avoid Dent Repair Scammers

Published On: October 30, 2019

If you live in the Riverside area and have suffered damage to your vehicle in the past, you may have come across dent repair scammers, sometimes known as “dent gypsies”. These scammers often prey on people with damaged vehicles who are clearly in a rush and are not fully informed on the dent repair process. They will approach you on the street, offer to repair your car on the spot for cash, and then disappear with your money without repairing your vehicle or without repairing it correctly. Their repair processes can often damage your vehicle even further and leave it looking worse than before they started. It’s for this reason that you should know how to identify and avoid dent repair scammers.

They Solicit You in a Parking Lot

By far the most common way that dent scammers find their victims is by approaching them in a public parking lot and offering their services on the spot. This is a big red flag, as reputable mobile dent repair services will never solicit your business this way. We value every one of our customers, but we never randomly approach damaged vehicles offering our services. Even if they have a business card, be wary and offer to schedule an appointment for another time. A reputable company will be more than happy to schedule a future appointment. Dent repair scammers, on the other hand, will not want to risk it and will often strongly insist that they perform the repairs on-the-spot. If they do agree to a later time, take this time to thoroughly research the business and verify that they are a trusted source of high-quality repairs.

They Only Accept Cash

Another sure sign that someone is scamming you is if they only accept cash or request a cash deposit. Here at Bumper Buddies, we never require cash to get the job done. We can process debit and credit cards for your final payment, and all reputable mobile repair services will do the same. If they only accept cash, it’s likely because they don’t want to leave any sort of physical evidence of their scam and risk getting caught. Trustworthy services such as Bumper Buddies will always give you the option to pay with card and we’ll always be happy to provide you with a receipt of the transaction.

 

 

They Have No Clear, Legitimate Branding

Although some scammers may have business cards or vans with vague keywords printed on them, they’re very unlikely to have consistent branding across their vans, business cards, and apparel. Here at Bumper Buddies, our technicians always wear a Bumper Buddies shirt and hat, drive a Bumper Buddies van, and give out receipts with the Bumper Buddies logo clearly printed at the top. Sometimes scammers claim to be Bumper Buddies technicians, and it should be obvious if they’re lying due to inconsistent branding or unbranded apparel. However, if you’re ever concerned about the legitimacy of your Bumper Buddies technician, call the number on our website and verify our technician’s identity with our coordinator. We’ll do everything we can to give you peace of mind and maintain your trust in us. 

If you want to learn more about how to avoid dent repair scams, watch our informational video here or give us a call at (909) 479-6868. We treat all of our Riverside customers with the best care, and we’ll always do everything in our power to make sure that you’re comfortable and confident in your experience with us. Give us a call today for a free estimate or to find out more about our mobile bumper repair process.

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!