{"id":385,"date":"2020-05-07T20:34:07","date_gmt":"2020-05-07T20:34:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/td_uid_64_5eb470bf41258"},"modified":"2020-06-10T17:28:59","modified_gmt":"2020-06-10T17:28:59","slug":"home-improvement-scam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/currentscams.com\/index.php\/2020\/05\/07\/home-improvement-scam\/","title":{"rendered":"Home Improvement Scam"},"content":{"rendered":"

The home improvement scam starts when contractors show up on your doorstep uninvited. They say that they just happened to be doing some work in the neighborhood and noticed that your house is in need of some repairs.<\/p>\n

They offer to fix your roof, reside your house or perform other repairs for what sounds like a great price.<\/p>\n

If this happens to you, be on guard.\u00a0 The ever helpful repair man or woman at your door might just turn out to be an unscrupulous contractor or an con artist who is out to get your money with a home improvement scam.<\/p>\n

Shady contractors will often ask for payment up front then disappear with your money.<\/p>\n

Others will do shoddy work or claim to have discovered some hidden problem in your house that needs immediate attention and significantly raises the cost. This is also known as a sales tactic called upselling.<\/p>\n

Con artists look to prey on homeowners when they are vulnerable. If your house has been damaged by a storm or\u00a0natural disaster<\/a>, a scammer may show up and try to persuade you to sign over the payment from your insurance company.<\/p>\n

Some crooked contractors seek out older homeowners with memory or cognitive problems, hoping to con them into paying multiple times for the same work.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what you can do to avoid being victimized by a home repair scam.<\/p>\n

Warning Signs<\/strong><\/p>\n