Roofing Scams Have Reported

Unfortunately, scams targeting the elderly have been reported. Seniors have fallen for scams such as false vacation offers, ongoing unlawful credit card fees, and retirement property offers that seem too good to be true. Senior Advocates has reported that 15 million seniors fall for one or more of these scams every year.

Seniors also reported roofing scams. The police in Oceanside, California reported that senior citizens were tricked into believing they were getting roofing work at a mobile home park. This was widely reported by local media. To Avoid such scams Contact always a good Roofing contractors Dearborn Michigan.

Men would knock on senior citizens’ doors and offer to repair their roofs. After looking around for thirty minutes on the roof, they would then speak with the homeowner to demand eight hundred to one-thousand dollars for the work they did. To appease the homeowner, the price would be reduced by a few hundred dollars if the homeowner was surprised at the amount they were charging. After doing nothing but stealing the victim’s roof, the scammers will disappear with the money.

Protection for Experts and Homeowners

The above scenario is contrary to what licensed contractors with good reputations are expected to do when dealing with homeowners. Before a contractor does any work on a homeowner’s property, they would recommend that the homeowner get a written quote. This is to protect both the contractor as well as the homeowner. If a contractor is legitimate, he will not hesitate to sign such a quote. A homeowner can then be sure that the contractor has properly done the initial inspection of the roof. If the homeowner fails to pay, the contractor can also use the signed quote as a legal document.

It is now a common practice to give written quotes upfront. The contractor must first inspect the homeowner’s home and make any repairs before they give a quote. In the case of the Oceanside roof fraudsters, this was not done.

Seniors can help protect themselves against scammers by asking for credentials immediately they are confronted by roofing scammers at their doors.

These Credentials Include:

Insurance certificates – Anyone can claim to be insured. However, that alone is not sufficient. They should have minimum coverage of three million dollars, complete operations insurance of one-million, and auto liability coverage of five hundred thousand dollars. Also, he must have proof of workers’ compensation insurance. A contractor is not valid if he can show proof of insurance.

The contractor should provide several payment and financial options. If the request is for cash or credit cards, be wary. A legitimate roofing contractor would submit a zero-defects quality assurance report. Contractors who cannot provide this type of quality assurance report are not qualified to perform quality work. These tips will help you avoid falling for scammers.