Hello, welcome to this week's Sheriff's Corner. This Corner is an answer to a request from a citizen. I've been made aware of an AARP article that talks about scams involving improvement and repairs. In checking, I saw that we hadn't covered this topic in quite a while. Also, in checking, I see that we have had several incidents of this type of crime in the past year or so.
Specifically, this area of crime occurs most often where someone comes to your door offering services. They may tell you that your roof, driveway etc need repair. They then collect part of or all of the fee and then only do part of the work or use inferior materials or just leave town. The article highlighted a case where a 58-year-old lady's air conditioner wasn't cooling. A friend suggested a repairman to fix the air conditioner. When he got there, he told her the air conditioner was shot. The man also convinced the woman to replace the air conditioner and furnace for $ 4,400.00. It was later learned that all she needed was Freon. The Freon would have cost $ 89.00.
In the AARP article, Stephen Hannen, president of the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators said that consumers should never accept work from people who call or show up on their doorstep to solicit their services. Hannen said that often, unscrupulous contractors will offer to do a repair or renovation for a low price. Hannen urged that you not be tempted because there is a good chance, if you pay them up front, they won't finish the job.
So, be careful when doing this type of business. Hire people you know and who have a good record of doing good work in a timely fashion. Licensed contractors can produce a good work history. Also, don't be afraid to ask for references or check with the Better Business Bureau. If you think you have been fooled, contact us and we'll help or get you the proper help. Take care. |
