CHESAPEAKE BEACH, Md. – What is the hardest pest to get rid of? For some residents of Chesapeake Beach, it’s not ants or rodents—it’s the pest control companies themselves.
Recently, a representative from an unnamed pest control company was caught on a Ring camera attempting to open a door before ringing the doorbell. Despite a complaint from the homeowner, the concerning behavior persisted in the neighborhood.
Another pest control company, known for its aggressive sales tactics, has also been making rounds in Chesapeake Beach. Their approach? Knocking on doors and falsely claiming that the resident’s neighbor just signed up for their service. In reality, the neighbor had signed up years ago and no longer used the company.
This misleading tactic not only annoyed residents but also led one homeowner to cancel a two-year-old contract when they discovered their name was used deceitfully as a “brand-new customer” to lure in others. Many residents found this tactic dishonest and opted to switch to a local pest control service instead.
Complaints from residents have surfaced about salespeople knocking on doors as late as 9 p.m., even after being told they were interrupting bedtime routines for children. Barking dogs, “No Soliciting” signs, and even explicit language haven’t deterred these persistent salespeople from delivering lengthy sales pitches.
It has been reported that many of these salespeople do not work directly for the pest control companies. They are often hired from out of state and work on commission, pressured to sign up as many customers as possible, with little regard for boundaries.
If you are looking for a pest control service, it’s recommended to reach out to a local company directly. We attempted to contact one of these companies to discuss the incidents. Their website listed an office in Annapolis Junction and provided an Annapolis phone number.
However, after being transferred five times to different “managers,” we finally spoke with Ava, a call taker located in Utah, where the company’s headquarters are. She had no knowledge of an Annapolis office and was unable to confirm whether the salespeople were contractors or employees. She took down our number, promising a supervisor would return our call.
To date, we have not heard back from anyone in the company.
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