Scammers look to take advantage of homeowners with storm damage – NBC10 Philadelphia

Springfield Township police in Delaware County are putting out a warning that someone is going door to door claiming they represent the township or county and asking residents if they can assess storm damage.

Police say this person is not from the township.

Officials are warning people to be on the lookout for scammers who are claiming they’ll fix your storm damage when they’re really looking to steal your money.

“Unfortunately we see more and more of it in our region every year. We see this happen and it’s on the rise. And we see more and more victims of scam artists every year with this,” Bucks County Office of Consumer Protection director Michael Bannon told NBC10.

Damaged homes from severe weather are magnets for criminals looking to scam homeowners out of their money.

“What happens is when these storms hit and they flood a whole region or they knock down trees in the region, scam artists will come in and start knocking on folks’ doors. Going door to door trying to get folks to give deposits in some cases and large sums of money and then they disappear,” Bannon said.

According to the Better Business Bureau, in 2021 homeowners in the United States lost $1.1 million to home improvement scams.

Bannon recommends that before handing out money, check if the contractor is licensed.

Also, make sure to get their insurance information and check their references.

“Make sure you have a written contract that is clear and precise with what they’re going to do, how much money you’re going to put down, how much you’re going pay,” Bannon suggests.

He also says to keep your eye out for red flags.

“High-pressure sales: Do it now while you can, give me money, give me whatever it is. High pressure is a red flag,” he said. “The other thing you need to look for, which sometimes helps, is look at the vehicles that they’re driving. Is it an out-of-state license plate that’s coming into your state? I also like to see the name of the business on the truck or whatever vehicle they’re driving. If they come up in an old unmarked vehicle, you got to question that a little bit.”

Also, check to see if the contractor’s address and phone number are legitimate.

If you do find yourself becoming the victim of a scam, Bannon recommends to call the police or your consumer protection office right away.