Hail as large as baseballs damaged cars and homes last night in one of the worst hailstorms in the Dallas area in years. Some of the worst damage from a storm comes afterwards as scammers take advantage of peoples hardships. Many times after an area has been hit by a large storm it will see an influx of scam artists and fly-by-night contractors.
Consumers can take precautions to prevent becoming the next victim of a scam or unscrupulous contractor. Be wary of contractors going door to door, who drive vehicles with out of state license plates and bid extremely low prices for repair work. Another red flag is anyone who asks for cash for the entire job upfront.
Here are a few tips you can use to protect yourself against scam artists:
• Use local companies or repairmen
• Check out unfamiliar companies with the Better Business Bureau
• Demand a written contract
• Get estimates for repair work from several contractors