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Summer brings out door-to-door scam artists in search of a
swindle. Watch out for time-honored tricks like these:
The Driveway Swindle
A truck pulls up to your house and offers to
pave the driveway - for what the driver says is a very cheap
price - with tar left over from a nearby job. You'll have to pay
for it on the spot, however. It sounds like a pretty good deal,
so you accept. Later you find that the price was much higher
than you could have gotten through a reputable paving contractor.
A few weeks later you find grass growing through the new tar.
And there is no way to track down the company to complain.
They're long gone.
Highway Robbery
Several crooks dressed as repair men knock on
your door to talk to you about a special home improvement deal.
One of them distracts you while the others burgle your house.
Post Disaster "Specials"
Natural disasters tend to bring out an
army of con men. In Florida, after hurricane Andrew, licensed
contractors would sign up as much work as they could and get down
payments, with no intention of ever finishing the work. In
Illinois, after intense flooding, scam artists gave flood victims
very high home-improvement bids, betting that overwhelmed
insurance companies would issue checks without confirming the
bids were legitimate.
Protect Yourself
Use common sense! DON'T accept high-pressure,
time-sensitive offers! Especially from door-to-door solicitors.
See How to Select a Contractor on page for more information.
Remember, finding a good, reputable contractor for home
improvement or repair projects is a breeze for you as an AHA
member. Your AHA-Plus membership gives you unlimited access to
pre-screened, pre-qualified tradespeople and contracting firms at
1-888-28-ASIST (282-7478). Ask for extension AHA, and furnish
your AHA membership number.
Copyright © 1998, AHA, the American Homeowners
Association, Stamford, Connecticut, USA
All Rights Reserved
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