Aging Resources of Central Iowa issued the following announcement on May 28.
Spring and Summer brings inclement weather followed by storm chasers or Contractor Scams.
Protect your home, property, and finances from illegitimate contractors. They are often referred to as “fly by night companies.” When something traumatic happens, homeowners want things to return to normal as soon as possible. The stress of the event and the repairs are often overwhelming, and we are at our most vulnerable.
These scammers use a variety of ways in contacting you such as: phone calls, emails, texting, mail, and door to door solicitation. They may say that they were in your neighborhood working on a neighbor’s home and thought you might benefit from their services. They might be as bold to inform you that your roof, siding, driveway, deck or most anything looks like it needs repair. They may also have the name and phone number of your neighbor.
They do their research and so should you! Research the company, get references and at least 3 bids to protect your money and property.
10 contractor scam warning signs:
- Lack of licensing.
- Extremely low bids or too good to be true.
- Requiring a large deposit or request payment upfront in cash.
- No permanent place of business.
- A vague or non-existent contract.
- No insurance.
- Inadequate references or unable to verify.
- Special deals.
If you are concerned about a potential scam, please contact Aging Resources to speak to an Elder Rights Specialist at 515-255-1310. Help Aging Resources shine a light on scams by raising awareness.
Original source can be found here.
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