AsktheSeal.com

Front Door Safety Tips

2012-02-13T09:13:00.000-08:00

We don’t answer our phones without checking caller ID to see who it is. Why do we feel compelled to open our front doors without knowing who it is?

There are two recent examples in the news of why we should not open our front doors for people we do not know. One was a woman who was home alone with her one year old, who thankfully did not open her door for the person who knocked unexpectedly. He had a gun in his hand while two accomplices hid around the corner with zip ties in hand. This chilling incident was caught on a security camera and should be a lesson to us all. Another sad story is about a woman who opened her door for, ironically, a door-to-door home security salesman. The woman stated that she could not make a decision because her husband was not home. The man returned a short time later and forced his way through the open door, assaulted her and threatened her life if she told anyone. Both of these stories are highlighted in this NBC 8 on Your Side Special Report http://www2.tbo.com/news/ .

Here are some simple tips to stay safe:

Do not open the door for anyone you did not invite to your home.
Decide how you will handle unexpected knocks at your door before they happen and stick to the plan.
Do not be afraid of appearing rude.
Ignoring the unexpected knock or doorbell is an acceptable option.
Install an intercom. Wireless units are available on-line and in home improvement stores.
Talk through the door if you must, but do not get frustrated and open it.
If the person says it is an emergency, tell them you are calling 911 for them and do so.
Make sure your entire family understands and follows the plan.

According to Edward Marchiselli, President of consumer safety company AsktheSeal.com, "People know they should not open the front door for strangers, but when that doorbell rings, the Pavlovian urge to answer it is overwhelming. It's difficult and at times impossible to communicate through a closed door. You don't want to be rude and you wonder if there is an important reason the person is there. You need to decide how you are going to handle these unexpected knocks before they happen and stick to the plan. An intercom is great if you have it. Regardless of whether you are able to communicate or not, you should not open your door for anyone who you did not call and schedule an appointment with. Even when you have a scheduled appointment, you need to be sure the person at the door is the person you are expecting."

More tips for staying safe:

If allowing an appointment with someone who solicited you by phone, confirm on your own that they have a business license and physical location. Call the company (not the person or phone number given to you by the telephone solicitor) and confirm that the solicitor works for that company and schedule the appointment through the company.
When scheduling an appointment, question the company about who they are sending to your home.

Will they be driving a marked company car?
Will they be wearing a uniform?
Will they have a company photo ID Badge?
Have they passed a national and local criminal and sex offender background check.
How long ago was their last background check?
What is the company’s policy on hiring people with criminal convictions?
What offenses disqualify them from employment and specifically from being sent to your home?
Can the company email you a photo of the employee so you can be sure who is at your door?

AsktheSeal.com is a free service to consumers. No login is required. Companies with the AsktheSeal.com Seal of Approval can email you a photo of the person coming to your home with verification of their annual criminal background check. The employee showing up to your home will have a photo ID issued by AsktheSeal.com further verifying their background check. Just because someone has passed a background check does not guarantee your safety so don't abandon common sense and normal safety precautions. For terms, conditions, limitations and more information visit www.AsktheSeal.com or call 800-410-SEAL(7325).

DBPR Raising Awareness of Unlicensed Activity

2011-12-14T04:59:00.000-08:00

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation is launching an educational campaign, posting 34 billboards throughout the state. The billboards are aimed at educating the public about unlicensed activity. There were over 1,700 complaints about unlicensed construction work alone last year in Florida.

In addition to proving their competence, licensed companies have higher expenses which are necessary to protect the businesses, consumers and employees. Some of these expenses include liability insurance, workers comp and continuing education. A company following the rules cannot compete with a fly-by-night who does not have the same expenses. Unlicensed activity not only takes customers away from companies who are following the rules, but also exposes consumers to risk.

The increased risks associated with hiring an unlicensed person or company include losing your deposit, shoddy workmanship, difficulty selling your home, local code violations and fines, up to a $5,000 fine from the state(to the consumer), injury and death. The financial risks are every bit as real as the physical risks. If a consumer hires an unlicensed person, they can be considered that person's employer and be held liable for any injuries suffered by the worker. The consumer does not likely have the proper insurance to cover this type of situation and could be held personally liable for hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars.

According to Ed Marchiselli, founder of consumer advocacy company AsktheSeal.com, " There are two big problems out there. One is consumer awareness. If consumers understood the physical and financial risks associated with hiring an unlicensed contractor, most would not do it. The second is that many companies claim to be licensed and insured when they are not. They print whatever they want on their business cards, advertisements and literature. The fly-by-nights often work harder at looking reputable than the actual reputable businesses do. Consumers often think they are hiring a licensed and insured company when they are not."

Marchiselli also stated, "It is very important for consumers to do their own homework and not just take someone's word for it. Consumers can find out which trades require a license and verify those licenses at the DBPR website . They can also request proof of insurance directly from the contractor's insurance company. The company will initiate the request to the insurance company, but it is a very simple process and any legitimate company should be happy to do it."

Beyond making sure the company is properly licensed and insured, the other concerns would be getting a fair price, checking the company's customer service and complaint record and knowing who the company is sending to your home or business. AsktheSeal.com annually verifies licenses, liability insurance, workers comp and customer service record. It also performs annual criminal background checks on the owners and the employees interacting with the public. Employees who pass the annual background check are issued photo IDs and the company can initiate an email from AsktheSeal.com with a photo and verification of background check. According to Marchiselli, "Most of the service companies who claim to background check employees don't do it at all or do them incorrectly, often running an instant internet search or only checking the county of residence." AsktheSeal.com is a free service to consumers and they do not have to enter any personal information in order to find a company with the Seal of Approval or verify a company's Seal of Approval.

Two Women Allegedly Stalked by Duct Cleaner with Long Criminal History

2011-11-11T05:59:00.001-08:00

Two women were allegedly frightened and stalked after responding to ads for duct cleaning by a large national retailer. Both women had their air ducts cleaned by a convicted criminal with a history of stalking and harassing women, according to an investigative report from WXYZ-TV, ABC Channel 7 News in Detroit, MI.

According to the Channel 7 report, after having her ducts cleaned, one of the women began receiving inappropriate text messages. Police traced the text messages to one of the duct cleaners who worked in her home. Police discovered something else disturbing when they went to the woman’s home. Someone had unlocked a window behind the bushes and left it cracked open.

The serviceman has a long criminal record and a history of stalking and harassing women. The 7 Action News Investigators found seven personal protection orders against him taken out by seven different women over 11 years. He has six criminal convictions, misdemeanors and felonies going back to 1999, according to court records. His latest conviction in 2011 is for aggravated stalking.

According to Channel 7 News, the suspect passed a background check despite his lengthy record. The company that performed the background check declined to comment to Channel 7 News citing privacy laws.

According to AsktheSeal.com founder, Ed Marchiselli, this story highlights a serious problem with the home services industry and the reason he founded AsktheSeal.com. Marchiselli founded AsktheSeal.com after selling his share of a large home service company. His service company background checked every employee. Marchiselli routinely interviewed candidates from his competitors including large respected companies. He was appalled to see candidates with recent convictions for violent crimes who were currently employed and being sent into homes by so called reputable companies, some even working for companies who advertised that they background checked every employee.

AsktheSeal.com performs the criminal background checks on home and business service people rather than taking a company’s word for it. Marchiselli stated, “It is our experience that a large percentage of service companies who claim to background check their employees actually do not. Of the small percentage that actually do, many rely on quick inexpensive internet and instant database background checks. These checks are very unreliable, are often missing critical data and report erroneous data”. AsktheSeal.com is a member or The National Association of Background Screeners. They perform national criminal and sex offender checks as well as local county checks. All results are verified at the county level for accuracy before being reported.

About AskTheSeal.com:

The AskTheSeal.com Seal of Approval is a win-win for consumers and responsible businesses. Consumers have a free service where they can find companies who not only have license and insurance verified but also perform criminal background checks on the employees being sent to their home or business. Consumers receive an email with a photo and verification of background check of the employee so they know who they are opening their door for. The employee also wears a photo ID issued by AskTheSeal.com, further verifying their background check.

Responsible companies use the AskTheSeal.com Seal of Approval to distinguish themselves in a verifiable way from companies who cut corners on licensing, insurance, quality, customer service or employee background checks. Many companies make false claims regarding these important factors and some are difficult for a consumer to verify. The AsktheSeal.com Seal of Approval provide peace of mind since the consumer doesn’t have to just take the salesman’s word for it. For more information about AsktheSeal.com visit http://www.asktheseal.com.

For the full Channel 7 Action News story visit:

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/women-say-duct-cleaner-with-criminal-history-stalked-them-after-slipping-through-background-check

Risky Business: Hiring Unlicensed Contractors

2011-11-07T06:12:00.000-08:00

The perils of hiring an unlicensed contractor are significant. They extend to other contractors and their subs, as well as members of the general public. But by far, the party facing the greatest exposure is the owner. The risks are numerous, and can sometimes manifest themselves in a surprising way. In one case, an unlicensed contractor turned the tables on an owner when the contractor’s lack of a proper license was actually used against the owner who had hired him. The unlicensed contractor was performing work on the owner’s property when he fell and sustained some injuries. The court held that since the contractor was not licensed, the owner was deemed to be his employer and as such was liable to the injured unlicensed contractor for damages resulting from his injuries. Surely not the sort of outcome one would expect.

Full Story

Alledged Home Improvement Con Artist Held on $2million Bond

2011-11-07T06:06:00.000-08:00

A home-improvement contractor with a record of ripping off consumers and running from the law is being held on $2 million bond after he fled from the courthouse during a probation revocation hearing last February.

Full Story