Police Warning Of Door-To-Door Scams

Now that the weather is warming up, local law enforcement agencies are warning about the potential for door-to-door scams in area neighborhoods.

Grant County Sheriff's Office spokesperson, Kyle Foreman, says the scams typically involve one or more individuals offering home improvement services such as paving or tree trimming.

"What happens is you'll get a knock at your door and there'll be someone there saying something like 'hey we're in the area doing another job and we just happen to have extra materials left over or we have some time on our hands so we can cut you a good deal'. What ends up happening is you'll get a substandard job and end up paying an unusually-large price for that."

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Foreman says homeowners should always ask to see proof that a contractor is licensed and bonded before hiring them and be wary if they insist on a cash payment.

"Usually they're going to want cash. They don't want forms of payment like a check or a credit card that allows you to cancel the payment once you discover that the work is substandard. To avoid this, they're definitely going to want cash upfront, so be skeptical of that."

Foreman says there are other details that are important to vet about a contractor, including checking to find out if they have a permanent business address and if the details of their work history are available.

He adds that anyone who receives solicitation for contractor services can call the local police department or sheriff's office to investigate their intentions.

It's also advised to talk with elderly neighbors about the risk of scammers, since they are a more vulnerable segment of the population.