BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – Anytime disaster strikes, most people come together to help their neighbors. However, there are also scammers out there looking to take advantage of vulnerable people who are looking to rebuild their homes and businesses.
Katie Galan, a Regional Director of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), joined First News at Four to discuss what people need dealing with the aftermath of natural disasters need to watch out for.
When an area experiences a natural disaster, contractors referred to as “storm chasers” start popping up. These are typically construction companies that are either from out of town or out of state.
Some of them may try to get people to act quickly or ask them to make a big payment upfront. This is the first red flag, according to Galan. If they receive this upfront payment they are likely to not finish their work. While not all “storm chasers” have bad intentions, Galan says it’s better to be cautious.
Galan gave a few tips on how to spot the scammers.
- If someone comes door to door, “they are typically not the most legitimate businesses,” explained Galan
- People promising to get significant work done really quickly
- There’s pressure for the customer to act quickly
- When someone gives a quote, make sure it is all in writing
Anyone who has fallen victim to these scammers should make a report to an organization such as the BBB. It is also important to contact law enforcement so they’ll have the scammers on their radar.
Copyright 2022…
