SAN DIEGO — When you're looking for a San Diego County business, many people go online, relying on an internet search engine to help find the right one.
Be aware that you may not be contacting the company you intended to.
The Better Business Bureau says these types of scams are becoming more common, in which a company tries to pass itself off as a more reputable, better-known company by using a similar-sounding name.
One local company is now sounding the alarm, calling these alleged imposters to the carpet.
You may have seen the commercials on our CBS 8 for Stanley Steemer, and its home and commercial carpet-cleaning services.
There are so-called 'pretenders' - companies trying to pass for Stanley Steemer - that are becoming more prevalent.
"Almost every day we get calls," said Steve Thompson president of Stanley Steemer San Diego. which has been in our area for 45 years.
He said recently, companies posing as Stanley Steemer -- often with similar-sounding names and logos -- have managed to trick unassuming customers into thinking they're the actual Stanley Steemer. Especially when those customers are searching online.
"What pops up the most is a company called Stainless Steamer," he told CBS 8.
'Stainless Steamer'
Thompson said that customers calling the other company are told that they either are Stanley Steemer or that they do 'sub-contract' work for them, even though Stanley Steemer never uses subcontractors.
Several online reviews tell a similar story, with workers showing up who are clearly not from Stanley Steemer with its trademark yellow van and red-and-white uniforms.
"The stories have been horrendous," Thompson added. "Some of the aggressive behavior of the people who have come to the homes, and it seems like a lot of (the customers) are elderly."
When CBS 8 reached out to Stainless Steamer for comment, they told us that they never misrepresent themselves, adding they've been in business for more than 20 years.
They also have a small disclaimer at the bottom of their website that they're not associated with Stanley Steemer, but are an independent company offering similar services.
BBB offers tips
"Most imposter scams follow the same rubric," said Corey Snyder with the Better Business Bureau Serving the Pacific Southwest.
He said that consumers need to be extremely careful about who they're hiring.
"No one should ever feel bad about being hyper-vigilant, especially in this day and age," he told CBS 8.
This includes double-checking the link you click on to find a company online to verify they're not trying to pass as another company.
"They're impersonating, most of the time, legitimate businesses, well-known businesses," he said.
- Ask for an up-front estimate
- Verify any phone numbers the company you're dealing with is calling from.
- Also, don't be afraid to ask questions
- Report anything you think is suspicious
- The BBB set up a special "Scam Tracker to report suspected scams, which can help warn others.
- For more information, click here.
"Being hyper-vigilant, being aware is the number one line of defense you can have as a consumer to protect yourself," he added.