With the warmer weather often comes an increase in door-to-door sales pitches for various home improvement services. From landscaping to roofing, however convincing the offers seem, not all of these salespeople are legitimate. Just this week, your Denver Police Department has received four separate, but possibly related, reports of roofing companies failing to complete work, while collecting thousands of dollars from the victims. In each circumstance, the victims, who are all senior residents, provided the suspects with several payments, only to be left with demolished roofs and unfinished projects.
If you believe you are the victim of this scam, please contact Denver Police, or your local law enforcement agency, to file a report.
If you are looking for contractors to help you tackle those home improvement projects, make sure to verify the roofer’s license and insurance by contacting your local city/municipality building department, or local licensing board. You should also ask for referrals and do as much research on the company as you can. It’s also wise to get multiple offers. And in addition to getting a written contract, make sure to look out for these red flags before signing anything:
- Scammers will often peddle roofing, paving and other repair work door-to-door.
- Scammers often drive new pick-up trucks, often with out-of-state license plates.
- Scammers often prey on the elderly using friendly, but high-pressure tactics.
- Scammers may say they have material left over from a previous job or insist they did work for you or a neighbor before. • Scammers will ask you to get the required building permits.
- Scammers will often quote bargain prices, but demand much more after the job is complete, if they complete it at all.
If you believe that you may have been a victim of this type of scam, please call the non-emergency number (720-912-2000) to file a police report, or you can walk into any Denver Police Station and ask to file a report. Please also notify the Denver District Attorney’s offices 720-913-9000