Beware, homeowners, spring is the season for home improvement scammers.

As is shown in the video, they are already at it. The elderly are at a higher risk for home improvement scams because the people who perpetrate them realize that older homeowners may not be able to do the work themselves.

Another way they manipulate people of all ages is by taking advantage of our lack of expertise. As they did in the video, they will often point out things that, to the untrained eye, don't look like they need to be fixed. But what do we know? If someone comes along with a hammer hanging off their belt and workboots and says that our roof is bad, we may listen.

That's one of the most common ways scammers operate. They point out something that should make us nervous, and turn that fear into a sale. Then, they do shoddy work that takes little time or material and then disappear.

Protect yourself by following these simple steps when hiring any contractor, and if someone stops by your house uninvited to tell you that it needs work, BEWARE!

  • Use contractors that have verifiable phone numbers, addresses and, if applicable, business licenses.
  • Ask them if they have work they've already done that you can go and see.
  • Ask them if they have references they can provide.
  • Word of mouth is a great way to find contractors.
  • At the very least, verify something that shows that they are an established local contractor in your community. If you can't find an address in a phone book, make a call that is answered by someone besides them, or find a website that attaches them to your community, step away from the check book.
  • Google them.

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