Disasters Can Bring Home Improvement Scammers

Cookeville Police Major Carl Sells said disasters can bring scammers out to take advantage of homeowners.

“Just as in a lot of situations where there are repairs to be made or messes to be cleaned up, there are those who will take advantage of those who don’t know any better,” Sells said.

There’s an easy way to figure out if the person you’re talking to is a scammer or not, he said.

“One of the most telltale signs of a scammer is demanding payment up front before the job is completed. That would be the primary flag that I would be concerned about if I were to be hiring someone to clean up the damage from my property,” Sells said.

Scammers will demand money up front, then not do the work, he said. Reputable businessmen will ask for a portion up front, or payment after the work is completed and you’re satisfied with it.

Sells said independent contractors, those without a company to back them up, can be legitimate.