Storm Isaac ravaged the Gulf Coast a week ago. Unfortunately, he was just the beginning of the hurricane season. Sadly, these disasters also bring out a unique breed of rip-off artist that preys the traumatized and financially-strained sufferers of the tragedies.
Better with catastrophe
The Association of American Retired Persons was able to talk to a spokesman from the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, James Quiggle. He said:
"They're called storm chasers, going town to town where disaster strikes to descend on traumatized homeowners and causing more problems than they fix. And they often prey on senior citizens."
There are increasingly more of them being seen, according to the National Insurance Crime Agency.
Asking for money
Contractor cons typically involve a construction bidder asking for money upfront to repair storm damage. After they are paid, they are gone, like Isaac, with the wind. If they do actually perform any repairs, the workmanship and materials are generally shoddy, requiring it to be redone correctly at some point after the scammer has disappeared. And sadly, homeowners insurance will probably not cover repairs handled by unlicensed or unauthorized contractors.
Ways to stay away from the cons
-- Ask your insurance agent or the Better Business Agency for a list of approved contractors in your area before giving any repair person a green light.
-- Search for a license from the contractor.
-- Never let somebody work for you if they give you a P.O. box for an address or if they do not have a business card.
-- Never pay the deposit until building materials arrive at your home, and you should never pay more than 25 percent down for the deposit.
David Guillory, interim director of the East Baton Rouge Parish Department of Public Works, said:
"You really shouldn't be paying for work that's not done. If somebody says, 'Pay me half and I'm going to go get some other equipment,' or go get another crew or something, that should send a red flag up."
Frauds all over
With really bad materials and bad craftsmanship, automobile con artists will put together broken vehicles and sell them to people. They make a huge buck. They get the automobiles after flooding at insurance auctions for a song.
Though these automobiles may run fine for a month or two, generally they will start breaking down regularly, turning them into money pits that double and triple cost in no time.
Things to do before purchasing
Get an automobile history report from CARFAX or another trusted company before buying a car, and make sure you get a mechanic to inspect the car first. Do this whether you are purchasing at auction or individually.
Better with catastrophe
The Association of American Retired Persons was able to talk to a spokesman from the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, James Quiggle. He said:
"They're called storm chasers, going town to town where disaster strikes to descend on traumatized homeowners and causing more problems than they fix. And they often prey on senior citizens."
There are increasingly more of them being seen, according to the National Insurance Crime Agency.
Asking for money
Contractor cons typically involve a construction bidder asking for money upfront to repair storm damage. After they are paid, they are gone, like Isaac, with the wind. If they do actually perform any repairs, the workmanship and materials are generally shoddy, requiring it to be redone correctly at some point after the scammer has disappeared. And sadly, homeowners insurance will probably not cover repairs handled by unlicensed or unauthorized contractors.
Ways to stay away from the cons
-- Ask your insurance agent or the Better Business Agency for a list of approved contractors in your area before giving any repair person a green light.
-- Search for a license from the contractor.
-- Never let somebody work for you if they give you a P.O. box for an address or if they do not have a business card.
-- Never pay the deposit until building materials arrive at your home, and you should never pay more than 25 percent down for the deposit.
David Guillory, interim director of the East Baton Rouge Parish Department of Public Works, said:
"You really shouldn't be paying for work that's not done. If somebody says, 'Pay me half and I'm going to go get some other equipment,' or go get another crew or something, that should send a red flag up."
Frauds all over
With really bad materials and bad craftsmanship, automobile con artists will put together broken vehicles and sell them to people. They make a huge buck. They get the automobiles after flooding at insurance auctions for a song.
Though these automobiles may run fine for a month or two, generally they will start breaking down regularly, turning them into money pits that double and triple cost in no time.
Things to do before purchasing
Get an automobile history report from CARFAX or another trusted company before buying a car, and make sure you get a mechanic to inspect the car first. Do this whether you are purchasing at auction or individually.
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