Cleanup is underway in several central Indiana communities hit by storms this week—and the Better Business Bureau is warning residents about opportunistic scammers.
According to the BBB, scammers are known to go door-to-door posing as contractors promising to fix storm damage. However, in many cases, they’re unlicensed and simply want to get your money.
“Anytime there’s a natural disaster or heavy storms that come through our parts, you always have to be careful of what we call ‘storm chasers,’ which is people who are trying to come through and knock on people’s doors, trying to offer services to repair any damage that might happen,” said Jennifer Adamany with the Better Business Bureau Central Indiana.
“They might say, ‘I just helped your neighbor down the street, and I want to offer the same services because I saw your roof is damaged,’” Adamany said.
Other times, they may say they have “extra supplies” from helping a neighbor and try to offer you the same services.
Not all of them are scammers, Adamany said, but many aren’t properly licensed. Some may take the money and run, while the others may do shoddy repair work.
Homeowners should look out for red flags like out-of-state license plates or contractors who pressure them to pay immediately.
“If they’re asking for all the money up front, you don’t want to engage with that because then you’re just handing over the money and they have no reason to actually do the project for it,” Adamany said.
“If it’s truly a scammer, unfortunately what’s probably going to happen is you’re not going to hear from them again or see them again, and that’s why the first line of defense is so critical to do the research ahead of time,” Adamany said.
The BBB recommends getting quotes from different businesses any time you’re looking to hire someone for repairs. Make sure to research the companies or contractors to review any complaints and to make sure they’re licensed.
It can also be a good idea to pay with a credit card, which provides an extra layer of protection in case you end up getting duped.
