Cleanup efforts are underway Monday, June 21, 2021 in suburban Woodridge following a tornado and severe storms Sunday night. (WTTW News)
Homeowners and businesses cleaning up from strong storms that produced two tornados Sunday night, including an EF3 that tore through the Naperville area, should be on alert for scammers, according to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
“We have too often seen scammers take advantage of the devastation caused by tornados or other natural disasters and use it as an opportunity to line their own pockets,” Raoul said in a statement. “People should be wary of any individual who solicits home repair or insurance adjusting services door-to-door.”
Scammers often move quickly into communities to take advantage of people whose homes and businesses have been damaged, according to Raoul, who said these “storm chasers” pressure people into making quick and often expensive decisions about cleanup and construction work.
Even if you need to act quickly, shop around, get written estimates from multiple contractors and don’t be rushed into a deal, he said. In addition, be sure to get the terms of a contract in writing and get a signed copy of that contract.
If you sign a contract based on a contractor’s visit to your home, you have the right to cancel the contract within three business days, according to the attorney general. In the case of a disaster repair, if your insurance carrier denies coverage, you have the right to cancel a…
