Morrisey urges residents affected by severe storms to watch out for scammers

CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey's office is urging residents faced with damages following this week's storms to be cautious when hiring help to make repairs.

“Strong winds and heavy rain caused varying degrees of damage in some parts of West Virginia,” Morrisey said in a press release. “Consumers have begun surveying damage and planning for repairs or rebuilding.

“Sadly, scammers will take advantage of the situation and prey upon those already facing hardship. Consumers must cautiously research any contractor they consider hiring.”

Morrisey | File photo

The AG's office says scammers often canvass neighborhoods and offer to repair damaged property with deals that seem too good to be true and may imply they are working on nearby homes or suggest they are with the bank or insurance company and use high-pressure sales tactics to force immediate purchases.

But, the office says money often is paid without completion of the work, and the scammers fail to provide contact information such as a contractor’s license, business card or other identification.

The AG's office reminds residents to take their time, research options and be careful before hiring anyone to do work.

It also offers a few tips:

• Evaluate the size and scope of the project. 
• Get written estimates from multiple companies. 
• Research companies that repair storm damage. 
• Ask for references to verify the contractor’s prior work. 
• Look for reviews of the company on trusted websites.
• Check to see if the contractor has a valid license by contacting the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board at 304-558-7890. 

State law requires contractors to allow the consumer five days to cancel roofing contracts instead of the three-day period for door-to-door sales without penalty for any portion of repairs not covered by the consumer’s insurance policy. The consumer also must notify the contractor in writing of the cancelation. The written notice can be via email, letter or return of the company’s notice of cancelation. The clock begins with the consumer’s receipt of the insurance notice.

The AGs office urges anyone with questions or a potential storm-related home repair scam to call the Consumer Protection Division at 800-368-8808 or to file a report online at www.ago.wv.gov.