Have you been caught off-guard by aggressive, misleading marketing tactics like the sample mailer in the article image? Area residents and some ARC members have seen these in their mailboxes recently, but a little investigation revealed that US Home Guard and similar groups are not the best choice for a reliable home warranty company. Read on to find out why, and how our call with US Home Guard went when we tried to inquire about warranty coverage.
Red Flag #1
None of the supposed "final notices" were preceded by any other mail notices from this company. This creates a false sense of urgency and stress, making you easier to manipulate into a rushed decision.
Red Flag #2
Our financial institution is identified as ARC CU - we are ARC FCU. A seemingly minor difference, but on documents from reputable companies this would be a glaring error. The "F" designates us as a federally insured credit union, as opposed to a state-insured credit union.
Not all of these letters make this mistake, so be careful and always check indirectly with the credit union if you are unsure. Our phone number is 814-946-0857 to verify any potential scams.
The Strikeout
Strike One:
After a concerned phone call to the company (since we were now in the final days to take action on this "EXTREMELY URGENT & TIME SENSITIVE" offer) we learned that due to the age of our home, this was the only letter that was actually mailed to us.
Strike Two:
The company rep was a very pleasant young woman who asked for basic info on the home - year built, square footage, condition of the structure and appliances. She came up with a warranty contract price then offered to find discounts based on age, military status, etc. Then she got her supervisor on the phone to see if he could get any more discounts for me that she might not be able to.
The supervisor was much more aggressive and pushy. He wanted to close the deal and take a payment immediately after offering a lower price. It was not until stating that my spouse had all the credit/debit cards and I only carried cash so I couldn't pay over the phone that he very irately agreed to put a temporary hold on the offer until lunch time when I could call them back with the card info from my spouse.
Strike Three:
After looking into the company's rating on the Better Business Bureau, our suspicions were confirmed. Warranty Global Group, listed at the bottom of the notice, does not fare well in BBB complaint filings. They have an average customer rating of 1.56 out of 5 on the BBB website. They list nearly two dozen complaints in just the three years, which is as far back as the BBB will show records for. This should be enough to convince anyone to keep their distance. Do your own research into the company listed on these letters; they should be reputable and well-established.
ARC is Here for You
Always feel confident reaching out to your friends at ARC Federal Credit Union whenever you receive mail, email, texts, or calls that don't seem right. If you are concerned that your personal information may have been compromised, or if you just want the reassurance that you are dealing with us or one of our affiliate organizations, we are happy to provide that peace of mind. You can call or text us at (814)946-0857. You can also email us at memberhelp@arcfcu.org. If you contact us outside of business hours, we will respond ASAP during normal business hours.
Above all, please remember to be very wary disclosing personal information or payment information to unknown companies or individuals. While we can file disputes to try and refund fraudulent charges, this is not a guaranteed method of returning stolen funds. Also, your personal information is irreplaceable and the struggle of dealing with a stolen identity is one we hope you never have to endure.
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