HENRY COUNTY, Va. – Henry County Sheriff Wayne Davis is warning citizens of contractor scams after storms left many homes and vehicles damaged last week.
According to Davis, there have been reports of people going through the community looking to repair damaged homes, and said in some cases, those contractors will take the money, then make limited repairs or no repairs at all.
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We’re told some scammers may try to take advantage of property owners by requesting payment up-front for repairs as well.
To avoid getting scammed, the Sheriff offered the following tips:
- Make sure contractors have the proper licensing - either a Virginia contractors license or a Henry County Business License.
- Verify their insurance. Contractors should have disability and workers’ compensation insurance, and if they don’t, you may be liable for accidents on your property.
- Make sure the contractors get the necessary permits to do the job.
- Ask other contractors and your insurance company for estimates.
- A good rule of thumb is to reject any offer that seems too good to be true.
- Make sure the contract details all work to be performed, the costs, the projected completion date, and how to negotiate changes and settle disputes, then get those agreements in writing. Make sure you understand the contract completely before you sign it.
- Don’t sign anything or make final payments until the work is done correctly.
- Use the Better Business Bureau, www.bbb.org, and internet search engines to scan for the contractor’s business. Fraudulent firms change names frequently, so search the web for their address and phone number, and include terms like “review,” “scam,” and “complaint.”
- Never wire money or use reloadable debit or gift cards, and don’t offer personal financial information over the phone.