Hurricane season is upon us again, as if the pummeling the Gulf Coast just took from blowhard Isaac was not enough proof. And in the aftermath of hurricanes, as with most natural disasters, come the storm chaser: a particularly low kind of fraudster who is eager to make a quick killing at the expense of the sufferers. Typically, those are every-day consumers who can ill-afford to have their already-strained pockets picked.
Following the storm to make cash
James Quiggle is a spokesman from the Coalition Insurance Fraud, a group of insurance corporations, consumer groups and government agencies. He explained:
"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."
The National Insurance Crime Agency pointed out that we are seeing more and more of them out there.
Schemes to watch for
Much of the scamming contractors will leave without doing work, though some of them actually do the work. The only issue is that they do a terrible job and leave permanent damage that will not be covered by homeowner's insurance. It is always a bad sign when the contractor asks for money upfront before they complete the task.
Stay away from frauds
-- Before letting anybody complete repairs, ask the Better Business Bureau or your insurance agent for a list of approved contractors.
-- The contractor should show you a license first.
-- 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.
according to the East Baton Rouge Parish Department of Public Works interim director David Guillory:
"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."
Looking at vehicles too
Following intense flooding, as often accompanies hurricanes, scammers with unauthorized automotive "chop shops" will snatch up all the totaled luxury vehicles they can for a song at insurance auctions. Then they will rebuild these vehicles with shoddy materials and craftsmanship and resell them on the auction circuit to unsuspecting customers.
The automobiles tend to run well for a few months before they break down and turn into cash pits. Watch out for them.
Things to do before purchasing
Whether you are purchasing at auction or individually, you need to take your car to a reputable mechanic and get it looked at before making the final purchase. It never hurts to get the CARFAX on an automobile just to look at its reported history.
Following the storm to make cash
James Quiggle is a spokesman from the Coalition Insurance Fraud, a group of insurance corporations, consumer groups and government agencies. He explained:
"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."
The National Insurance Crime Agency pointed out that we are seeing more and more of them out there.
Schemes to watch for
Much of the scamming contractors will leave without doing work, though some of them actually do the work. The only issue is that they do a terrible job and leave permanent damage that will not be covered by homeowner's insurance. It is always a bad sign when the contractor asks for money upfront before they complete the task.
Stay away from frauds
-- Before letting anybody complete repairs, ask the Better Business Bureau or your insurance agent for a list of approved contractors.
-- The contractor should show you a license first.
-- 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.
according to the East Baton Rouge Parish Department of Public Works interim director David Guillory:
"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."
Looking at vehicles too
Following intense flooding, as often accompanies hurricanes, scammers with unauthorized automotive "chop shops" will snatch up all the totaled luxury vehicles they can for a song at insurance auctions. Then they will rebuild these vehicles with shoddy materials and craftsmanship and resell them on the auction circuit to unsuspecting customers.
The automobiles tend to run well for a few months before they break down and turn into cash pits. Watch out for them.
Things to do before purchasing
Whether you are purchasing at auction or individually, you need to take your car to a reputable mechanic and get it looked at before making the final purchase. It never hurts to get the CARFAX on an automobile just to look at its reported history.
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