Doris Coddington had no idea when she answered an unsolicited phone call from an air-conditioning company in November 2011 that it would eventually cost her $3,000.

Although experiencing no problems with her air-conditioning system, the 83-year-old Punta Gorda resident agreed to a $29.50 special inspection offer from Service Star that wound up costing $1,750, primarily for some ultraviolet lights.