Water companies preying on the elderly

Florida Water Works - Should we be concerned?

We are an elderly couple here in Fernandina Beach and recently received an official card from the State of Florida about our water. The card said they where going to be in our area conducting water testing and it is part of a state wide public awareness program. I have attached a photo of the card to this e-mail for you to see. Can you tell us what this is all about? Should we be concerned?

There are companies here in Florida that are using SCARE TACTICS and misleading wordage on mailings!!! Just about every time we come across one of these cards, in our day to day business, they are being shown to us by mostly, elderly people but, not always. The photo you sent to us, of the card you received in the mail, is just one of many we have seen over the years. They usually look official, like they came from a branch of government but, they are not.

We get calls from people who, have become victim to water scams all the time.

People call us and want to know if we will come out and check their city water and tell them what is in it. Most of the time, we find the water going into the home isn’t out of the ordinary for municipal water.

We see the typical hardness usually between 9 and 14 grains hard. Some people have iron or other impurities that can cause staining and pitting of appliances and always the typical chlorine which, runs between .75 and 3.25 parts per million and is corrosive.

On average, 9 out of 10 customers that call us about these cards, receive them in the mail which, looks like it came from either, the local water municipality or the state health department. The cards contain misleading statements such as. “STATE WIDE PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAM”, “Florida Water Works”, “Environmental Quality Assurance”, “test data – FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY”, “Central Florida Water Management”.

The following posts and information were found on the internet while doing a google search anyone can do. :

Posted on February 13, 2016 by Scam Reporter

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ASSURANCE – Old scam hits East Coast of Florida

After many complaints and action by the State of Florida Attorney Generals office, DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AFFAIRS; an old scammer is back at it again!

Florida Water Works located at 6575 80th Avenue, North, Pinellas Park, Florida, 33780 who, is also know as ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ASSURANCE, LLC, are back to using deceptive scare tactics to push over priced water filtration equipment to the elderly. Also listed at this address is PRISTINE ENVIRONMENT, LLC as listed at sunbiz.org web site.

The listed owner / agent of the business KEVIN PAWLOWSKI made restitution in the amount of $18,242.88 to consumers who complained to the Department about the water treatment system that was sold and installed by Pawlowski’s company plus, another $14,000.00 to the Tampa bureau of the Attorney General’s Division of Economic Crimes, made payable to the “Legal Affairs Revolving Trust Fund” for the investigative and attorneys’ fees and costs of this matter and for costs associated with ongoing and future enforcement initiatives.

Legal documents located at:

http://www.myfloridalegal.com/EC_Edoc.nsf/0/5A5CCDB21537E5E885257B11004ACA83/$file/Environmental+Quality+Assurance.pdf

The Department had received complaints that allege the use of high pressure sales techniques, scare tactics (including performing a test that turns water black or brown), and that Pawlowski’s company immediately installed the water system after the sale, giving the consumer little to no time to make a decision. Consumers are pressured into signing a purchase agreement for equipment that only gives the customer three business days to cancel and must cancel in writing to an address not listed on corporate filings with the division of corporations for the state of Florida.

Environmental Qualty Assurance

One the top right hand corner of the document is Environmental Quality Assurance and you must cancel to the address listed at the bottom of the document which is PO BOX 2000

PINELLAS PARK, FL 33780 but the division of corporations shows a mailing address of PO BOX 200 PINELLAS PARK, FL 33780. Also listed at the bottom of this document is the address 532 NW Mercantile Place Suite 114 Port Saint Lucie Florida 34986. If you send a cancellation writing by mail to P. O. Box 2000, your mail may be returned and you will run out of time before the three business days are up. As a precaution, you may want to send a letter of cancellation to 6575 80th Avenue, North, Pinellas Park, Florida, 33780 as well and always get a receipt of delivery with signature.

There are many complaints about this company on the internet by people reporting that they were pressured with scare tactics into signing the purchase agreement. Some people say they were told by representatives of this company that there was feces in the water after being shown that the water test turned brown.

Florida Water Works has been sending mail solicitations to Tampa Bay area homeowners, offering the free program. Consumer protection experts say the company, which has been operating for more than 20 years, has long given people the impression they are affiliated with government, though they have no relation whatsoever. The letter is made to look like a State Water Inspection health department check which is available for free in all counties.

florida-water-works-47875

The letter doesn’t have their State Corp # on it, which is required by law.

One customer complained:

“All I am going to say is…..Do Not Let Florida Water Works in your home.Their whole approach is deceptive and manipulative in order to sell you something.Once the man in my home realized I was not buying it, he became aggressive,rude,condescending and scary.For a moment I thought he was going postal, he then slammed his case shut , spewed out rude comments and walked out slamming my door.

Please Beware!!!Another thing that seemed strange was , I received a phone call saying they were in my area and could they stop by, I said yes, and within 5minutes they were banging at my door.”

A customer in Melbourne Florida complained:

Woman about 35 years old. Heavy English accent. Not at all polite. She claimed to be a “water tester” only. However after 10 minutes insisted on proof of a credit card, or she would be leaving. She had no business card, nor offered her name. Claimed tap water in Melbourne florida was unregulated. Posed big health risk.Including brain cancer. Their product is the only one that properly filters water.

In order to get their foot in the door they claim to be an affiliate of the public works department. Then turns around and says the public tap water is a major health risk. Again, their filtering system is the only one that filters the water properly. These people are scumbags. Should be banned from doing business, and do some time in the “crowbar motel as well.

“They’ve been around a long time doing the same thing,” said Deborah Berry, of the Pinellas County Department of Justice and Consumer Services. “They’re growing in wisdom in how to perfect their technique, to make sure that what they’re doing cannot be considered violating any law.”

“We have 147 companies in this water conditioning equipment category,” said John Zajac, a spokesman for the Better Business Bureau of West Florida. Over the last year, Florida Water Works, “they’re No. 1 in complaints.” Russell Glasscock, manager of Florida Water Works say the water testing techniques used are to, “It’s simply to bring awareness of the water”.

But Zajac said the high-pressure sales pitch often leaves consumers saddled with enormous debt for products and services they do not really need.

For example, in a March complaint, a Tarpon Springs woman told the BBB that the company sent someone to check her water and, “I believed he was from the city. He told me the water was bad,” Zajac said, adding that the woman was convinced her water would harm her health.

The company pressed her to purchase a $4,900 system that she ultimately did not believe she needed.

It became clear the company was not with the government. Government utilities send a water quality report to consumers once a year. And Tampa Bay area water has long been considered safe to drink.

Over the last year of 2011, Florida Water Works received 18 complaints and has five others pending. Pinellas consumer protection has received more than two dozen complaints in recent years about the company.

“There are good companies out there that don’t generate complaints,” Zajac said. “Eighteen complaints over the last year … The next highest level of complaints is seven complaints. Some don’t have any.” To date, the company is showing 32 complaints on the BBB web site and there are plenty more on other web sites and can be found with any search engine.

One recent customer was contacted by phone and also as before left this customer feeling as though they were with the municipal water service using Florida Water works as the official division in charge of water testing for that area and that it was necessary for them to come out and test the water at this location. By the time the pitch man for Florida Water works which, has no affiliation with any government agency was finished, the home owner, who wishes to remain anonymous said, “We were scared for our lives!”. “He told us, even bathing in the water would would make us seriously ill.”.

If you have a complaint about Environmental Quality Assurance dba Florida Water Works owned by Kevin Pawlowski, contact the Assistant Attorney General and include copies to:

Assistant Attorney General

Office of the Attorney General

3507 E. Frontage Road, Suite 325

Tampa, Florida, 33607

You can also file a complaint at the Atty. General’s web site:

http://www.myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/Main/E3EB45228E9229DD85257B05006E32EC

Other web complaints or information about Florida Water Works:

http://www.bbb.org/west-florida/business-reviews/water-conditioning-equipment-stores/florida-water-works-in-pinellas-park-fl-11000231

http://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResultDetail?inquirytype=EntityName&directionType=Initial&searchNameOrder=ENVIRONMENTALQUALITYASSURANCE%20L090001104310&aggregateId=flal-l09000110431-45059e94-208d-4762-b978-ffe57622515e&searchTerm=environmental%20quality%20assurance&listNameOrder=ENVIRONMENTALQUALITYASSURANCE%20G839150

http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Environmental-Quality-Assurance-LLC/internet/Environmental-Quality-Assurance-LLC-Russell-Glasscock-Genaral-Manager-Home-Water-Purific-793806

http://pristine-environment-llc.pinellas-park.fl.amfibi.directory/us/c/632930-pristine-environment-llc

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-05-05/business/os-dawson-column-050610-20100505_1_conseco-insurance-fww-florida-water-works

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2009-08-23/news/dawson_1_dear-greg-guarino-rita

http://www.tampabay.com/features/consumer/water-quality-notice-leaves-some-confused/1141841

http://florida-water-works.pissedconsumer.com/

http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Florida-Water-Works/-Pinellas-Park-Select-StateProvince-33781-2136/Florida-Water-Works-Florida-Water-Testing-Water-Testing-Pinellas-Park-Pinellas-Park-1092053

http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/florida-water-works-c273193.html

http://www.tbo.com/news/water-treatment-scams-surge-despite-state-crackdowns-26105

http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-727-541-5748

http://www.complaint.tv/selling_unneeded_water_treatment_to_single_elderly_women-5565.html

http://radaris.com/~Kevin-Pawlowski/168811344

http://www.pbcgov.com/pubSafety/Consumer/asps/BusinessInformationReport.asp?hrfBusSeq=1201249&hrfBusName=Environmental%20Quality%20Assurance%20LLC&hrfProductSeq=0

http://www.scambook.com/company/reports/20300/Environmental-Quality-Assurance

http://uscomplaints.com/construction-repair/1093742-russell-glasscock-genaral-manager-home-water-purification-systems-i-feel-i-was-ripped-off-by-environmental-quality-assurance-llc.html

The following complaint link is not about Ecowater of Ocala but actually more complaints about Environmental Quality Assurance, or FLorida Water Works is from Pinellas Park Tampa area

http://ecowater-systems.pissedconsumer.com/beware-of-ecowater-in-ocala-fl-20111203279054.html

All addresses or phone numbers associated with KEVIN PAWLOWSKI:

1-727-541-5748

(727) 545-8974

Fax: (727) 545-9689

1-800-471-1755

P. O. Box 2000

Pinellas park, Florida 33780

(Pinellas County, may be a bogus address)

P.O. box 200

Pinellas park, Florida 33780

(Pinellas County)

532 nw mercantile place suite114

port saint lucie, florida 34986

(St. Lucie County)

JLK Enterprises Inc.

5223 EHRLICH RD SUITE B,

TAMPA,FL 33624

(Pinellas County)

Phone: 813-969-2400

Fax: 813-969-2700

19520 GULF BLVD, UNIT 601

INDIAN SHORES, FL 33785

(Pinellas County)

19520 Gulf Blvd Unit 601

Indian Shores

FL 33785

(Pinellas County)

6575 80th Ave

Pinellas Park

33781

(Pinellas County)

9887 Fourth Street North #301

St Petersburg

33702

(Pinellas County)

Po Box 36

Largo

FL 33779

(Pinellas County)