The holiday season brings time for families to gather and celebrate but winter weather also gives scammers an opportunity to lurk for new victims. Attorney General Todd Rokita warns Hoosiers to ask the right questions before doing business with anyone.
Rokita says, “Unlicensed contractors and scammers don’t just call you anymore, they email, or knock on your door. Don’t fall for their promises to inspect your furnace, repair your leaky roof, or offer to remove snow and ice. Sometimes they don’t deliver — and they just take your money and run without doing some or all the work.”
There is hope for individuals whose dwellings are in need of repairs to find reputable contractors. The Office of the Indiana Attorney General and Indiana Builders Association shared these tips to help residents avoid being the target of home repair schemes.
- Ask your family, friends, and co-workers about which contractors have provided them with good work.
- Contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division and the Better Business Bureau before you sign a contract to ask for complaint information on contractors you are considering.
- Get multiple bids from local contractors in writing.
- Avoid contractors who spontaneously show up at your door offering discounted prices for any home maintenance.
- Never pay for the entire or a large part of the project before the work begins.
- Don’t make the final payment to the contractor until you know all suppliers of materials and all subcontractors have been paid.
- Never rely on verbal or handshake deals. Get a contract outlining job details in writing- ensure you understand what you’re signing.
- Search online for the company’s name with words like “scam” or “complaint.”
If you believe you’ve been the target of a scam, please file complaints with Attorney General Rokita’s office at www.indianaconsumer.com
