Lead Theft Directories and FAKE Review Sites
What on Earth is a Lead Theft Directory? And fake review sites? What are you talking about? It sounds like a legal way for people to steal… Here’s how it works.
BUGCO® Pest Control is doing an amazing job, and customers are happy to leave reviews. Well, a competitor, let’s call them Orange Beret Pest Control, LLC. Well, they are not doing so well with customer service, technician training, and reviews.
But what is the big deal? They are only reviews, right? In today’s digital society, reviews on places like Google, Yelp, or Facebook are like a digital resume of customer satisfaction. A testament to a company’s commitment to its customers and employees. This is where The Anonymous Pest Control Company Inc. hires someone to either add them to an existing directory to buy your information or create a whole new one that collects data from consumers thinking they are contacting someone else. What is the difference?
What is a Directory?
Some of you may remember the days of The Yellow Pages. For those of you that don’t, it was a large paperbound book printed on yellow pages that listed the details of a company, such as names, addresses, and phone numbers by geographic location. The Yellow Pages had a logo created by Henry Alexander showing two fingers mimicking feet with the slogan, ‘Let Your Fingers Do The Walking”.
While this approach worked amazingly for many years, the natural progression into the digital realm has given rise to other directories like Google, Yelp, and even Facebook.
When you Google “Pest Control,” you will be taken to a page that is typically full of companies near your location or a digital directory with real reviews. But if you search BUGCO® Pest Control, you will find that there are companies out there who have taken the time to create fake sites and made them look like BUGCO® Pest Control. You may want to submit a request for a quote. Easy enough. But you might be submitting it to who you think is BUGCO® Pest Control when in actuality, these lead directories sell your contact information to 3-4 big box pest control companies. And they will never relay your request to BUGCO® Pest Control because we do not believe in paying for consumer information.
You see, the directories profit from people willing to spend big money on leads based on BUGCO® Pest Control’s reputation instead of their own. The next thing you know, you are getting a call from Orange Beret Pest Control, LLC. It may go something like this.
“Hello, this is John, and we received your request for a quote for pest control at 123 Smith Street. I just wanted to see when we can get this on the schedule for you.”
They will be vague, leave out the business name, and lead you to schedule based on the premise that you thought it was BUGCO® Pest Control calling you! You may not find out that it is a different company until they are literally standing on your doorstep. At that point, they are hoping that they won’t get turned away. I mean, they are already there, why not get the pest control service done?
CLICK HERE to see another example of a Lead Theft Directory to see another example of a Lead Theft Directory.
Are you sure you are on the right website?
On top of all of that, would you believe that there is a very well-known pest control company in Texas that created a website with thousands of pest control companies listed on the site, like a legitimate lead directory, but all of the requests for quotes and messages were funneled to that company and that company only?
Yep, you thought you were contacting BUGCO® Pest Control because they placed our logo, address, and a perfect 5-star rating next to a GET QUOTE NOW! button, but hidden in the fine print at the bottom of the page, the following is hidden:
“By submitting your info on this form, you are agreeing to be contacted regarding your service request… Please note you may be matched to one of our trusted partners.”!
When they say trusted partner, they mean a company willing to pay for your information. There is even a link to show who the trusted partners are, and we are happy to say that we are not on there. However, they want you to believe that we are.
Contact BUGCO® Pest Control Directly
BUGCO® Pest Control does not participate in or condone these deceptive practices. To avoid these headaches, contact companies directly from reputable sites for information. For all of your pest control problems, reach out to us at info@bugco.org or call us at the number listed above!
