Spring is in the air, and the scammers are on the roads.
Homeowners are being warned to avoid unlicensed roofers and pavers offering cut-rate deals for repairs. Consumer protection officials go by the age-old adage, “If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably isn’t.”
Rockland Consumer Protection Office officials say local businesses and residents have indicated that scammers are posing as legitimate contracting companies. The phony contractors drive up to the home and falsely claim urgent structural issues exist to convince homeowners to sign expensive contracts for unnecessary repairs.
How con artists steal thousands by posing as real contractors
In one recent case, scammers impersonated a reputable roofing company, Gikas Roofing, and tricked a homeowner into signing a $78,000 contract for fraudulent roof repairs, Consumer Protection Director Kimberly Von Ronn said.
She also said an elderly woman paid a purported contractor $60,000 for a roof replacement she didn’t need, only for the scammers to disappear after causing damage to her home.
In one con last season, a Nanuet family was scammed out of $90,000 by a contractor who promised to renovate their yard while the family went on vacation. Another family got ripped off for $55,000 on a supposed roofing job.
Some con artists show up and play the part (for a while). They’ll drive up in trucks — some with phony company names — and solicit homeowners at their front doors. Those offering roof repairs, paving, and lawn services will often take down payments, start work, and then disappear with the homeowner’s money.
“These types of scams follow a familiar pattern, with unlicensed contractors using scare tactics to rush homeowners into making costly decisions,” Von Ronn said in a news release.
She said the department impounded a vehicle and is working with the company being impersonated, along with the Orangetown Department and police.
“We urge families to be vigilant,” she said.
Tips for consumers to avoid becoming victims
She said if people are solicited for repair work, they should take the following steps:
Also, keep in mind these rules:
Officials said if people are approached by an unsolicited contractor, contact Rockland County Consumer Protection at CPLCAL@co.rockland.ny.us or 845-364-3901.
Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@lohud.com Twitter: @lohudlegalRead more articles and bio. Our local coverage is only possible with support from our readers.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Rockland warns residents about paving, roofing scammers posing as real contractors
Reporting by Steve Lieberman, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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