WELCOME TO RIVER DAVES PLACE

Home advisor scam?

hallett21

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2010
Messages
16,858
Reaction score
20,162
So I work 100% on referral. I get a call from a 714 number today with a girl named Jessica wanting to know if I was interested in receiving leads from them. Apparently in my area they have roughly 600 “leads” that need filling.

They claim they want to only work in high end remodeling and renovations in Calabasas.

Supposedly they do a background check on me and require a $300 credit card deposit to draw against. Basically a lead costs between 50-90.

All that being said I’m now getting these texts. Supposedly she’s located in Golden CO.

IMG_4453.jpg
IMG_4454.jpg


Am I being taken for a ride? Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

NicPaus

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
12,975
Reaction score
12,383
Get the same from 714. She sounds nice talked to her a few times. I got another main panel for you text you when I get to that job next week. Referrals been keeping me slammed no need to advertise.
 

sirbob

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
10,569
Reaction score
14,497
Not unusual to have company lines that are for remote employees doing prospecting on the phone all day...

That said, we use Buildzoom for referrals and its worked pretty well for us. They charge 2.5% if we get the deal. Of course the vig is just added on top of what we would normally bid.

We've done 4 jobs from them in the last 6 months. Smallest one was $500K
 

SHOCKtheMONKEY

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 27, 2008
Messages
2,305
Reaction score
2,017
I put in my info on their website a year ago when I was slow. I still get a lot emails from them. A lot of phone call from Colorado also.
 

Carlson-jet

Not Giving A Fuck Is An Art
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Messages
7,785
Reaction score
7,947
I think there is a thread or two about this subject already on RDP. If I recall it didn't pan out. Just too many kooks in the world and credit card attachments.
 

SHOCKtheMONKEY

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 27, 2008
Messages
2,305
Reaction score
2,017
I just reviewed my email. I've got one every day this week. Three were for estimates. One was replacing switches/outlets, one was replacing a "bad breaker".
Pay to go give a free estimate! Lol
I'll stick to word of mouth...:D
 

DC-88

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2012
Messages
1,798
Reaction score
4,649
Don't do it. All my work is off referrals, and even in 09'-10' I didn't need much more, but when they first started up we fell for the "free web site build" which we didn't even need. I shit- canned the whole deal before it ever started and they still call me 2-3 times a month and I block the numbers . Just another complete industry built around a whole bunch of people making a buck off of a lesser # of people who are actually out working ---
 

lbhsbz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2010
Messages
11,675
Reaction score
28,545
If you’ve got work...as a contractor, that means you’re good, or at least decent at what you do.

Why would you take time out of your day to answer the phone from some asshole that thinks they can help you..while trying to make money sitting behind a phone?

Think about it.

Solicited services do not exist to benefit the solicited.
 

Mandelon

Coffee makes me poop.
Joined
Sep 24, 2007
Messages
13,963
Reaction score
18,524
They hit me up all the time. BuildZoom, Angie's List, Home Advisor, and many others. I'm so busy I can't sit down. I have patronized them in the past.

But we don't need them currently. As I recall most of the leads were weak. But a few panned out. Only pay for jobs you get, not leads. But if you're slow, it might be worth taking a chance. You can always get your credit card company to dispute the charges.
 

C-2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2007
Messages
12,139
Reaction score
7,543
If you're concerned about the number, it looks like a Google Voice number, which allows you to text from a from anywhere in the world, voice messages, texts and email are all centralized within Gmail, messages are transcribed...a whole lot of cool services for free, so the numbers are popular.

The deal is, "we" are out of phone numbers, so now phone numbers are heavily recycled and re-used. In the old days of GV, you could find great phone numbers in prime area codes (310, 424, 626, 415 etc).

They are especially popular with scammers as Google generally enjoys not cooperating with law enforcement.

But, we also see a lot of contractors and other legit business people using the numbers.
 

81eliminator

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2011
Messages
269
Reaction score
222
So I work 100% on referral. I get a call from a 714 number today with a girl named Jessica wanting to know if I was interested in receiving leads from them. Apparently in my area they have roughly 600 “leads” that need filling.

They claim they want to only work in high end remodeling and renovations in Calabasas.

Supposedly they do a background check on me and require a $300 credit card deposit to draw against. Basically a lead costs between 50-90.

All that being said I’m now getting these texts. Supposedly she’s located in Golden CO.

View attachment 815158 View attachment 815159

Am I being taken for a ride? Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have tried some of these years ago, found out they send to a bunch of businesses at the same time and charge them all for the lead. Never got a job this way.
DON'T DO IT!
 

NicPaus

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
12,975
Reaction score
12,383
Houzz was calling me more. They finally stopped. I get calls soliciting construction work all the time. I always ask how they could be a great company and have to cold call for jobs when every Contractor I know is slammed. They get pissed and hang up.
 

HNL2LHC

What is right and what is wrong these days!
Joined
Jun 25, 2018
Messages
13,832
Reaction score
24,799
I get calls from time to time from these types of people. I always tell them that we work on high end projects in the top 80-95%. We have 50 years under our belt and do not need to advertise. The type of work that they cater to does not offer the return on efforts that our work does and we are not interested. Then they asked who they might recommend for them. I told them to scour Craigslist being that there are all kinds of fly-by-night people trying to make a buck just like them.

Funny thing is that I remember my father taking these types of calls when I started working for him. He used to try to be nice and them would just hang up. I am starting to see my father in my actions with 30 years under my belt. LOL
 
Top