As Gulf Coast residents recover from Hurricane Sally, the Better Business Bureau is warning homeowners to beware of “storm chasers” and out-of-town contractors who show up soliciting repair work.
Monde Donaldson with the BBB Serving Central and South Alabama said most contractors are honest, but some storm chasers lack proper licensing for the area, offer quick fixes or make promises they cannot keep.
The BBB offered several tips for storm victims: contact your insurance company first and save all receipts; research contractors on BBB.org and check state licensing; resist high-pressure sales; ask door-to-door solicitors for identification and a local business name; never sign over insurance checks to a contractor; and be wary of allowing strangers to inspect hard-to-see areas such as attics and crawl spaces.
The bureau also cautioned legitimate local contractors about scam artists who offer to pay to use an established business’s name and reputation to collect insurance money, then disappear.