(WTAQ) – Many people across the state are looking to hire contractors after severe weather created home damage, but it’s important to do your homework to make sure you’re not dealing with a scam artist.
“Stormchasers” travel around the country looking to prey on homeowners that are in immediate need of contract services after suffering damages from a storm.
Susan Bach, the Regional Director of the Northeast Wisconsin Better Business Bureau, says these scam artists don’t wait long to jump into action.
“We usually hear about it fairly quickly after a storm comes through,” she says.
Often times it’s difficult to spot these scam artists, but it becomes much easier if you do your homework before.
“Get a business card from them, make sure to have the phone number and address on it,” says Bach. “Make sure to check their plates aren’t from out-of-state.”
The real concern is how quickly a scam artist will move following a shoddy fix. Bach explains that often times people don’t realize they were scammed until much longer down the road.
“The problem is they might not discover there is a problem with the work until long after those companies have gone,” she says.
The good news? If homeowners do notice a problem with the work they had done, they can contact the BBB to help them with their next step.
“The Better Business Bureau has a free complaint resolution process, so you can file a complaint against the company and the BBB will act as an intermediary between the two of you,” explains Bach.
The best policy is to be pro-active before hiring an individual or a team and to verify their legitimacy through multiple background checks, including address, phone number, and drivers license.
