‘Storm chasers’ seize chance to scam homeowners

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A storm like the one Seward County experienced June 14 is the perfect opportunity for scammers to prey on home and business owners.

While many companies are legitimate and will fulfill a contract without incident, many others will not.

These “storm chasers,” as the Better Business Bureau calls them, offer to help with repairs to damaged buildings and property, but instead take payment without performing the service.

Capt. Tim Huntington with the Seward County Sheriff’s Office said consumers should be on alert if they’ve had damage to their property.

His biggest tip is to call your insurance company before doing anything else.

“Your insurance company is going to have specific requirements of what they cover, and they might want you to use specific contractors,” Huntington said.

People going door-to-door offering contracting services to repair windows, siding and roofs or to remove trees are usually the most suspicious, Huntington said.

“Villages are going to require people going door-to-door to have a permit,” he said.

Shopping local and sticking with companies who are well-known in the area is the best bet for not getting scammed.

Huntington also recommends saving all receipts, especially if a homeowner must vacate their home for a time, as some insurance companies will reimburse food and lodging expenses.

When paying a contractor, both Huntington and the BBB said to never sign over an insurance check directly to a contractor.

“You can get an invoice from the contractor and pay them directly, especially with a credit card, because that offers some fraud protection,” Huntington said.

If you’re unsure, stick with the age-old advice that if an offer seems too good to be true, it’s probably a scam.

“There’s a lot of people with a lot of damage, so we’ll be dealing with this for awhile,” Huntington said.

The BBB offers the following tips after a storm:

• When hiring a contractor, get three different estimates, get everything in writing and pay with a credit card.

• Do your research. Check your state or government agency responsible for registering and/or licensing contractors. Get references from friends and relatives.

• Resist high-pressure sales. Some “storm chasers” use tactics such as the “good deal” you’ll get only if you hire the contractor on the spot. Be pro-active in selecting a contractor and not re-active to sales calls on the phone or door-to-door pitches. Disaster victims should never feel forced to make a hasty decision or to choose an unknown contractor.

• Be especially careful of door-to-door contractors. Many municipalities require a solicitation permit if sales people go door-to-door. Ask for identification. Check their vehicle for a business name, phone number and license plates for your state or province.

• Be wary regarding places you can’t see. While most contractors abide by the law, be careful allowing someone you do not know to inspect your roof and other areas of your house. An unethical contractor may actually create damage to get work. The same goes for attics, crawl spaces, ducts and other places you cannot easily access or see for yourself.

The BBB also warns contractors to beware of “storm chasers” who offer to pay local construction companies substantial amounts of money to use the business’s established name, reputation and phone number.

They masquerade as a local business, collect the insurance money and then move on, leaving the real business to deal with unsatisfied customers because of bad workmanship, unfinished work or unfulfilled warranties.

To report a scam, go to bbb.org/scamtracker or contact local law enforcement.