Along With Warm Weather Comes Increased Consumer Scams
Consumer Scams Will Soon Be On the Rise
Warmer weather is arriving and along with it will come consumer scams. Usually these scams are targeted at the elderly, but anyone regardless of age, race or socioeconomic status can become the victim of summertime consumer scams. So what are the most common warm-weather consumer scams and what should you look out for?
Home Improvement and Home Repair Consumer Scams
It’s getting nice out and a lot of people are thinking about having work done on their home. Unfortunately, many con artists know this is the case and will drive around in a truck making home repair and improvement offers that are too good to be true. Well, you know what your mother taught you -- if it sounds too good to be true...
First of all, if you want work done on your home, you should be looking for the contractor, the contractor shouldn’t be looking for you. Anyone who knocks on your door offering to do work for you probably isn’t worth hiring. Add that to the fact that many of these so-called contractors ask for money up front, and you’ve got a scam that’s just ripe for the picking. You’ll pay the contractor, and they may never show up to do the work.
Door to Door Consumer Scams
Another thing to look out for is people going door to door trying to collect money for charity or sell items for a good cause. Now there’s nothing wrong with being charitable. However, if you want to donate to charity, make sure you research the charity in advance and send payment directly to them. Never give a donation to a door-to-door solicitor.
Also make sure that you don’t buy items “for a good cause” from a door-to-door solicitor (unless, of course, we’re talking about valid organizations like the Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts). When you start buying things from any old door-to-door solicitor, you never know where your money is really going and it very well might just be going to line the pockets of the person walking door to door.
So be a wise consumer and keep an eye out for the consumer scams this summer. You’ll thank yourself in the long run.