How I was scammed by a Free ESA Assessment

 

Hi there,

I had been searching online to get approved for an emotional support animal and came across a ton of websites. Needless to say, it just stressed me out more. I just wanted to get the letter, hand it to my landlord, and be over it. Well, I used one ofthe sites that promised a free screening/assessment. A free assessment? Really? That should have been my first red flag,

but I knew something was off since nothing is free in life. Anyway, I caved in and did the screening, heard back from some therapist, and got my letter. Well, it turns out I was charged– A LOT. I am not complaining about paying a fee since the site in question was performing a service, but to try and claim that it was FREE is totally disingenuous. If you can’t display your fees upfront on your website, why should anyone trust you with their sensitive information?

On a positive note, I had a letter that looked real. So everything was good, right? WRONG! When I turned in my letter to my landlord, he wasn’t able to verify the information. Call after call from my landlord to the “therapist” was ignored. I can’t tell you how frustrating this was. I was not only embarrassed, but it made my depression worse than it already was. Then, upon trying to verify the license number on the medical board, it turns out no such therapist was ever licensed to practice medicine. At that point I knew I had been scammed. The worst part was that I tried to get a refund but they refused to give one to me. Can you believe that? I had to dispute the charge with the bank.

Fast forward 1 year.: I then moved to a new building and wanted to try to get an ESA letter to certafy my pet.

I didn’t know what to do until I found The Dogtor. I didn’t think these guys were real either, until I did my due diligence and saw that they have been quoted as experts in several news publications. I told them my concerns up front about what happened last time with the other company, and they stated that if my landlord did not accept this letter, that they would refund me in full. Well, truth be told, it worked! I am now happily living in my apartment with my pug Bailey!

The moral of the story is, if a site is promising FREE stuff, it is likely a scam. If they are hiding their pricing, it is likely a scam.

Sorry for my ramble, and thanks for allowing me to post this on your blog!

Best,

Tanya