Terminix Trains Local Managers and Employees to Deceive Customers

Testimony in an Alabama trial reveals that Terminix’s fraudulent business practices extend into the ways the company trains their local service managers and technicians, uses lies about state law as a sales pitch.

In a recent trial against Terminix in Mobile, Robert Steele–the Terminix Service Manager for Mobile County–admitted that not only was he trained to mislead customers, but he also admitted that he trained his employees in the same practices that deceive customers in the Mobile County Terminix office. When attorneys from Campbell Law PC showed Steele the state pest control regulations in trial, Steele had to admit that what he and his Terminix employees had been telling customers was completely and utterly untrue.

Based upon his own training with Terminix, Steele directed his employees to claim that Alabama law prevents Terminix from treating a home that is already under a Terminix bond until or unless termites are found. Terminix has been misrepresenting Alabama law in order to deceive their customers so their customers believe that Terminix cannot lawfully finish an incomplete barrier treatment or replace worn-off barrier treatments.

Why in the world has Terminix been doing this? Terminix hopes to trick customers into agreeing to switch contracts and to pay more money for these newer contracts. Terminix has been using this lie to convince homeowners that Terminix DOES NOT need to treat their homes even when their customers’ bonds PROMISE additional necessary treatment at Terminix’s expense. Instead of doing what the original contract states, they are selling current customers new contracts at a HUGE price increase: to the tune of $999 to $2,999 in annual premiums for these new contracts.

If customers balk at the price increase for the new contract, Terminix blames the increase on increased formosan termite activity and tries to sell a new contract with a baiting system (that does NOT work) with a liquid barrier and claim this will provide the prevention needed. If Terminix’s customers ask WHY they should pay for a new liquid barrier treatment when their current Terminix bond states that they should receive this protection for free, the Terminix employees tell them that the treatment the customers need is prohibited under their current/old bond by Alabama state law unless the house is infested with termites or Terminix issues a new termite contract. This is not the law in Alabama. Terminix’s explanation is dishonest: a ploy to defraud their customers with false information.

Terminix’s pattern and practice of fraud against their clients is bad enough, but to train their local managers and employees to run this system for them–a system that most of the employees do not realize is a scam–is a new low for the pest control giant.

Campbell Law PC has eight lawyers who handle termite damage claims across the country every day. If you think you are being hoodwinked or scammed by your termite company, the termite team at Campbell Law PC will try to help. If you have worked for Terminix and suspect that you were manipulated by the company to help them further their scam, tell us your story!