As Japan heads into summer, the country¡¯s consumer affairs watchdog has issued a warning over a rise in air conditioner repair scams.
Data from the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan (NCAC) shows a rising trend in the number of complaints pertaining to air conditioner repairs. Last year, there were 1,251 complaints ¡ª more than double the 451 complaints seen in 2021.
In many cases, customers would find a repair company online that offered low prices and same-day service, only to be charged exorbitant fees afterward.
Scams ranged from repairmen leaving without fixing anything and becoming unreachable, to being told the air conditioning unit was broken beyond repair and would need to be replaced.
One woman in her 50s was told that it would cost ?10,000 to inspect her air conditioning unit, even though the company she hired had advertised free consultations online. Despite finding it suspicious, she agreed to the inspection. She was told that there was a gas leak and was charged around ?50,000 in cash for the repair.
The repairman told the woman to wait 90 minutes before turning the unit on, and left without confirming the fix. After it became clear the unit still wasn¡¯t working properly, she called the company numerous times. Eventually, they stopped answering her calls.
The NCAC urges would-be customers to be vigilant and to scrutinize offers online that sound too good to be true.
The consumer affairs center also recommends not paying on the spot when trouble arises and to request a thorough explanation if the amount charged seems disproportionate to the services rendered. Customers should also confirm the fix while the repairmen are still present, it added.
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