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With warmer weather approaching, it is important to be on the look
out for home improvement scams. Home improvement scams are some of the most
common and frequent crimes that occur during spring and fall. These are the
times when most homeowners do the majority of their home improvement projects.
Some of the most popular scams are driveway resealing, roofing repairs and
chimney repairs. Let’s take a closer look at each of these scams.
The driveway resealing scam:
In this scenario, the offenders will knock on the homeowner’s door and try
to entice them into having their driveway resealed. The offender will offer
their services at a great low price, due to the fact that they were "just
working down the block" and had extra materials left over. The "contractor" will
then offer their services for only the cost of labor and the homeowner will save
a lot of money by not having to buy the sealant. The "contractor" will quote a
price of $50.00, then once the work is done, they will ask for $2,000.00. Once
the homeowner hears the increased price, and refuses to pay, the contractor will
threaten to call the police for theft of services. Most homeowners caught in
this scam then agree to pay and only later realize that they have been taken.
The roofing and chimney repairs scam:
This scam will surely be tried a lot this spring due to the colder winter we
have had. In these scenarios, the "contractor" will approach the homeowner with
a story about how they were working down the street and noticed some ice and
snow damage to the homeowner’s roof or chimney. The "contractor" will appeal to
the homeowner’s worries about possible leaks from the roof or ice damage to
their chimney, which could "fall down" if not fixed right now. The "contractor"
will then quote a low price for the "minor" repair and either not do anything or
do a small noticeable repair such as replacing a shingle. Once complete, the
"contractor" will then ask for a much larger amount claiming the damage was more
severe than expected.
Statistics show the prime target for these scams will be older residents,
living alone and unable to handle such physically demanding repairs on their
homes. Another more sinister outcome to any of these scams can be that the
offender using the scenarios listed above gains access to the home and steals
directly from the homeowner.
The best way to prevent becoming a victim to these scams is to only deal with
legitimate contractors that either you contact or comes recommended by a friend.
Also, get a written quote for repairs to be done prior to the work being
started. And most importantly, don’t be afraid to call the police if you think
you have been the victim of one of these scams.
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