Got Scammed By Garage Door Repair Company

Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA

My boyfriend and I unfortunately fell victim to what appears to be a garage door repair scam.

My boyfriend is a homeowner, and his garage door had been broken for about a month — the springs needed replacement. I found a garage door repair company on Google that appeared legitimate, with good reviews. I called them last night, and a technician arrived about two hours later.

When the technician arrived, my boyfriend was the only one home. He asked for a free estimate first, but the technician said he couldn’t provide one until he started the repair. He quoted $375 for labor, plus the cost of parts. He was extremely pushy, so my boyfriend reluctantly agreed.

After starting, the technician claimed that several parts needed replacement — springs, cables, drums, end bearings, etc. The final bill came out to $4,106, with the parts clearly marked up well beyond reasonable prices. Under pressure, my boyfriend signed the invoice.

We later realized the technician may have used a fake name, and the company name and phone number on the invoice don’t match the website we initially contacted. The technician also requested half the payment via Zelle and the rest by credit card. To make matters worse, the garage door is still broken — the springs are unbalanced (it weighs about 25 lbs at the bottom, when it should be around 15 lbs).

We called the company this morning to report that the door was still not fixed. They said they’d send the same technician back later today.

I plan to ask for his ID, licensing, and credentials when he arrives and may record the interaction. If they refuse to refund the money or fix the issue, I’m considering filing in small claims court.

What steps should I take now, and what evidence should I gather to support a refund or legal claim?