In this second episode of this Dateline NBC investigation of a Kentucky air duct cleaning company’s fraudulent practices, Dateline NBC Correspondent Chris Hansen confronts the technicians with the video of their deceptive practices.

 

SEAN:
Yes sir?

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
How you doing?

 

SEAN:
Pretty good.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
What’s happening? What do you guys got working today?

 

SEAN:
I believe in the end of September, we did a couple of touch up things…

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
Got it.

 

SEAN:
She just wanted to continue the rest of the stuff we were doing.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
And what is this gonna cost Judy today.

 

SEAN:
Um it’s going to be… I think ten, ten sixty-four. That’s what it is.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
$1064.00.

 

SEAN:
Yes sir, that’s right.

 

ON-SCREEN TEXT: $1064.00 For Non-Existent MOLD!

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
Did you ever look up there and see how much-

 

SEAN:
Yes, this is actually our access panel right here.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
So what did you do, you cut a hole?

 

SEAN:
Um, yup there’s about a I believe an 8 inch hole behind this, as well as over here…

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
So you can actually get up in there and look?

 

SEAN:
Correct.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
Well Sean, there’s a couple things I need to go over with you.

 

SEAN:
Ok.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
Because I don’t think you did the job you were supposed to do the last time.

 

SEAN:
Ok.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
For instance, if I was to unscrew this right here (gestures at the panel covering the fake hole) what would I see?

 

SEAN:
Um, you should see an access panel.

 

ON-SCREEN TEXT: He means “Access Hole” that should be cut in the bottom of the trunk line.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
You’re sure.

 

SEAN:
Yeah.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
Will you show me?

 

SEAN:
Sure (unscrews panel). Oh… it looks like there is no access panel there.

 

ON-SCREEN TEXT: They attached an access panel to a solid trunk line. No hole! No cleaning whatsoever!

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
So why would there be no access panel?

 

SEAN:
I do not know (he turns to his partner). Could you run out to my truck? I forgot my cell phone on the middle of the console.

 

ON-SCREEN TEXT: This is a con-man caught in his own lies. Here’s how he will try and find you!

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
So would you have been the one to put that…

 

SEAN:
No, that would not, that would not have been me (laughs). Obviously, I was just talking to you about it being there. I didn’t even check. I’m gonna make a phone call to my office.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
Well before you make that phone call, you need to know something Sean.

 

SEAN:
Ok.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
I’m Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC.

 

SEAN:
Ok.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
And we’re doing a story on how some companies allegedly “rip off” customers.

 

SEAN:
Ok.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
And you need to know that there was a camera over there (points out cameras), and there was a camera over there.

 

SEAN:
Ok.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
While you were doing the work last week.

 

SEAN:
Nods.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
And I’d like to show you some of that video. I have it set up right over here.

 

SEAN:
Ok.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
And I just want you to explain to me what was going on. What is this flying around here. This is during the last visit. See the dust that’s flying around?

 

SEAN:
Uh-huh.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
What is that?

 

SEAN:
It looks like it may be some dust.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
Some dust. And why would that be flying around the house?

 

ON-SCREEN TEXT: It’s flying around because the vacuum was never attached to the system.

 

SEAN:
I’m not sure… there could have been some re, I mean, some simple blow back. I mean that, that’s happened.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
A little blow back? But should that be flying all around the house?

 

SEAN:
I mean, obviously not to that extent.

 

ON-SCREEN TEXT: His partner is in the basement simply blowing air up through the system.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
So was there a problem? Your partner maybe didn’t seal the vents properly?

 

SEAN:
That’s what I’m trying to figure out.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
So you say you actually looked up in those ducts?

On-Screen Text: There was NOTHING done to this home. No Cleaning. No Vacuum. Just a Mess.

 

SEAN:
Which ducts? (Puts cell phone to ear).

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
The ducts here.

 

SEAN:
Correct (he answers Chris then backs away with phone). If you could, you know what- follow me upstairs, I have no service down here. I’m going to have to climb back up (he walks away).

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
Alright, I want to show you… I just want to show you one, Sean, I just want to show you one thing…

(Sean and Tim walk out of house and sit in their truck, talking on the phone. Then Sean comes back).

 

SEAN:
First of all gentlemen…

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
Yeah.

 

SEAN:
I really do not want to be on camera, if that’s not a problem. Um, we did not give you guys permission to film me.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
We don’t need it, so…

 

SEAN:
Ok (he walks in to talk to Judy). We completely apologize, um…

 

ON-SCREEN TEXT: They didn’t think they would ever get caught. Their Boss has told them to cover and RUN!

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
So the office says to apologize to Judy here…

 

SEAN:
Well, no, no, no. I, we completely apologize for the situation. Obviously it’s…

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
What do you mean by the situation?

 

ON-SCREEN TEXT: As you watch this crook being caught in the act, ask yourself how this elderly woman got into this.

 

SEAN:
Excuse me sir, I’m talking to Mrs. Pruce.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
Fine, excuse me.

 

SEAN:
Um, (laughs nervously) what they’ve told me for the situation, obviously we can cover up anything that we need, that needs to be done…

 

JUDY PRUCE:
Ok.

 

ON-SCREEN TEXT: She responded to a coupon offer that was simply “To Good to Be True” $49.95 for a whole house!

 

SEAN:
… to obviously take care of what, anything…he actually offered all the work that we were going to take care of you today, completely free of charge.

 

JUDY PRUCE:
I don’t want anything else done anymore.

 

SEAN:
Ok. That’s not a problem. I just wanted…

 

JUDY PRUCE:
But thank you for your offer.

 

ON-SCREEN TEXT: Now she “Gets It” and wants nothing more to do with these thieves masquerading as Duct Cleaners.

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
I mean here’s a woman on a fixed income…

 

SEAN:
We’ll go ahead and wash the…

 

CHRIS HANSEN:
The promise was $49, the promise was $49.95. You came in here, you up-sold her to right around $500, and said for $200 more we can do this other work, you were going to do it today. Today, it turns into over $1000. How does that happen?

 

ON-SCREEN TEXT: Look at the same offers in the ValPack & coupon magazines & ask yourself,” Are they any different?”

 

SEAN:
She’s the one that called us sir.

 

ON-SCREEN TEXT: The last word from the crooks? “She’s the one who called us!”

 

SEAN:
It was very nice meeting you guys (gets in car). Stay out of this rain (laughs, closes car door, drives away).

 

ON-SCREEN TEXT: Will you be next?

 

END Dateline NBC Fraud Sting Part Two