How to Tell If Your Electrician is a Scam

In an ideal world, customers would never have to worry about scams or fraudulent electricians, however, the reality is that there are countless scams. They don't just come from random handymen, they can come from established companies as well. That's why it is always best to double check reviews and get more than one quote.

So how do you weed out the sketchy electricians and find the right one for you? Here's a list of things to look out for, as well as some tips on how to avoid being scammed.

1. They Ask for a Full Payment Upfront

Any electrician will ask for a deposit, especially for larger jobs, but it should raise a red flag if they ask for the full amount before the work had even begun. Even if it's not a true scam, it could also be a sign that you're not hiring a quality electrician. Always keep in mind that any professional and trustworthy electrician will not ask for the full price upfront.

2. They Try to Sell You a Full House Rewire

This is a common scam that many questionable electricians will try to pull. When they come to give you a diagnosis, they may inspect your wire and tell you that your wire is dangerously old and that you need a full house rewire as soon as possible. There is a chance this isn't a scam, but the best way to be sure is to get multiple opinions. Then not only can you rest assured that the work is actually necessary, you can get competitive quotes as well.

3. They Offer Suspiciously Low Bids and Continue to Change the Price Constantly

While it's normal and expected for the final cost to look different from the quote and the quote to differ from the initial estimate, it should raise suspicions if an electrician offers you a bid that feels too low. They are likely doing that to hook you into hiring them, then they will continue to change the price, raising it again and again over the course of the job. By the time the work is finished and the customer has to pay the rest of the cost, it will end up being much more than it needed to be. In order to familiarize yourself with what a particular job should cost, reach out to more than one electrician to receive multiple estimates. This will give you a better idea on how much the work should cost.

4. They Use Confusing Jargon

A trustworthy, professional electrician will use language that is easily understood by the customer when explaining what's wrong and the work that needs to be done. Electricians understand that most customers will not know what certain terms mean and will adjust their explanations accordingly. Any electrician who uses jargon that confuses the customer is likely trying to get away with overcharging.

5. They Make a Minor Issue Sound Urgent

If an electrician is trustworthy, they will not lie about a small issue just to get you to hire them on the spot. There are indeed some things that are urgent and need to be fixed immediately, but if they try to make replacing a circuit breaker in your panel sound like an emergency, they are just trying to pressure you into hiring them without bothering to look into other electricians.

6. They Recommend Over-the-Top or Unnecessary Upgrades

Not every electrical job will warrant a brand new electrical panel, a full-house rewire, or adding a whole new landscape lighting system. Sometimes, a simple replacement is all that's needed. But there are many electricians who will try to squeeze more money from their customers by heavily recommending upgrades or very large jobs that actually aren't necessary.

7. They Aren't Licensed or Insured

This is a telltale sign that an electrician may not provide quality service. They will likely provide a Band-Aid solution for a job that may require much more work. On the flip side, they might take extra steps for something that is simple. Lack of insurance is also a red flag, because you never know if something were to happen on the job.

8. They Communicate Only Through Email

Trustworthy electricians who have valid businesses will always have a phone number alongside their email. When you Google a business, make sure there is also a phone number and a business address. If you can't find these things available with a quick Google search, that is a sign that the electrician you are talking to is not a valid business and possibly is not licensed.

9. They Take Only Cash

Most electricians will take cash if that is your preferred method of payment, but if that is the only payment option they offer, you could be dealing with someone unlicensed, uninsured, and likely scamming you. Valid businesses will mostly take card, and will accept cash, check, or even digital payments like Apple Pay or Venmo, although not all will take digital payments. Always be wary when hiring an electrician who will only accept cash.

10. They Vaguely Claim To Be 'Award-Winning'

It is not uncommon to find electricians claiming to be 'award-winning', but this by itself is not always a good sign. If they claim to be award-winning electricians, always check what the award is. Some things to look for is if they are associated with the company that has awarded them. It's possible they paid for the title. If you can, check if there was even competition for that particular award. Too often, companies will claim to win awards when there wasn't much competition in the first place. And never trust a claim if the award comes from an unknown source.

How Do You Avoid It?

At the end of the day, there are many scams in the electrical world and if you're not careful, you will likely fall victim for one of these fraudulent deals. So how can you avoid this? Here are some tips to avoid scams:

1. Verify Credentials

One of the best ways to decipher reliable technicians from the frauds is to check their license to ensure it is active and legitimate. To search for a company's or a Master electrician's license, find the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation's Active License Search, select 'electricians' under license type, then enter the license from the electrician's website. If there is no result or if the expiration date is past, you know this is not an electrician you can trust.

2. Get More Than One Quote

When looking for the right electrician to hire, it is often best to look for multiple quotes, especially if it's a project that is not time-sensitive. This is not only budget-smart in allowing you to find an electrician that best fits your budget, but it also gives you an inside look on what a certain job should cost. By consulting more electricians (preferably 3+), you will know if the first electrician is overcharging you, or even giving you a suspiciously low estimate. Stay away from electricians whose estimates are wildly different from what others tell you.

3. Get Referrals

Have a brother who recently got his electrical panel upgraded? A neighbor who got new landscape lighting? A coworker who just got their house rewired? Ask them about their electrician and how satisfied they are with the work. If there is anyone that you trust who has had some kind of electrical work done recently, getting a referral is a good place to start your search. This is not a foolproof method for finding a trustworthy, high-quality electrician, but it gives you a starting point.

4. Check Ratings

Looking at reviews on Google, Yelp, or other trusted sources will allow you to weed out the electricians who give their customers a bad experience. Every electrician with a substantial number of reviews will have a few bad reviews, but you want to find an electrician who has a majority of 4+ star reviews. Pay attention to what reviews have to say about customer service quality, work quality, and pricing, and for any negative review, pay attention to the business' response. This will give you a good understanding on an electrician's reputation, which is always very telling.

5. Trust Your Instinct

Even if you take all the necessary precautions and everything seems to be above board, sometimes you have a bad feeling about an electrician. You should always listen to your instinct, because even if that electrician is on the level, at least you can have the work done with peace of mind.

In Conclusion....

It's not uncommon for electricians, whether a lone handyman you heard about via word of mouth or an established business with many reviews on many sites, to try to scam their customers in order to make a quick buck. Don't let this happen to you. Know what to look for when talking to an electrician and know how to avoid fraudulent work by taking certain precautions.