KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- — You're exhausted. You're frustrated. You're trying to get a tree off your roof.
Scammers know that, too.
It never fails; they always come out of the woodwork after a storm. But you can protect yourself.
Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe has four important tips to keep in mind when dealing with storm damage.
"Number one, when you're dealing with a company, make sure they're licensed or that they have insurance, and require them to show that to you," Howe said. "Number two, if you do have damage to your home, work with your insurance company and make sure they're involved in the vetting process."
Don't pay up-front. Ultimately, a legitimate company should not require you to pay all the money up-front in order for them to do the work.
"Then the old adage of, if it's too good to be true, it probably is," Howe said. "So, if you've got a company who's lay lower than all the other companies, that should raise some red flags as well."
You should also be wary of companies pressuring you into a "one-time deal." Howe says the company should never pressure you into any timeline.
You should stay away from people with unmarked vehicles and out-of-state license plates, as well as anyone going door-to-door soliciting you for services.
Keep everything in writing. A legitimate company should already be familiar with drafting up contracts with customers.
Clearly state what work needs to be done and the payment timeline in the contract. Don't sign anything unless you fully understand it.
Johnson County has its own consumer fraud division. Howe's office can check to see if the company you want to work with is legitimate and if there have been any red flags or issues in the past.
People wanting to contact the Johnson County Consumer Fraud Division Hotline at (913)-715-3003.
You can also call the state attorney general's office and look on its website to double-check if a business has a license. Look at the state's secretary of state office website to see if the business is registered.
Kansas Attorney General: https://ag.ks.gov/complaint-center
Missouri Attorney General: https://ago.mo.gov/civil-division/consumer/consumer-complaints
Kansas Business Search: https://www.kansas.gov/bess/flow/main?execution=e1s1
Missouri Business Search: https://bsd.sos.mo.gov/BusinessEntity/BESearch.aspx?SearchType=0
"Most of the states have laws in place to protect consumers, so that's why in certain areas like roofing you have to be licensed, and that prevents the storm chasers from coming in and basically ripping off consumers," Howe said.
The Better Business Bureau offers many of the same tips as Howe.
Save all receipts from expenses, including hotels and food, during the process because they may be covered under your insurance policy.
You can also find trustworthy businesses on BBB.org.
If someone approaches you, ask for identification. Check their vehicle for a business name, phone number, and license plates for your state or province.
Never sign any documents that give the contractor rights to your insurance claims. The BBB says to get an invoice from the contractor and pay them directly with a credit card. Never sign over insurance checks to contractors.
Don't let just anyone inspect the damage on your home. Allowing someone you don't know up on your roof can cause even more damage and cost you even more money. Sometimes, scammers do this intentionally.
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