The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) launches a new video series featuring real stories from victims of unscrupulous roofers in Colorado.
The victims in the video bravely describe how they unknowingly were scammed by roofing contractors that presented themselves as reputable but, in fact, were engaged in insurance fraud following a series of hail and wind storms that swept across the state.
“In this important series of interviews, we hear from the victims themselves how, in their darkest hour, fraudsters took the opportunity to scam them! By courageously telling their stories, we at the NICB believe it will educate and prevent others from falling victim to these opportunistic fraudsters,” said NICB chief operating officer Jim Schweitzer.
Unscrupulous contractors who chase around the country following the path of storms, often solicit business door-to-door and prey on the elderly or other vulnerable victims to try to get them to sign a contract and hand over a payment. Then they are never seen again or fail to do the repairs as promised. We always encourage policyholders to contact their insurance company or agent before hiring a contractor to do the work.
Hiring a roofing contractor?
- Get more than one estimate. Never let a contractor pressure you into hiring them.
- Work with only licensed and insured contractors.
- Demand references and check them all out.
- Ask to see the salesperson’s driver’s license, write down the license number, and their vehicle’s license plate number.
Getting the work done
- Get contract terms in writing. Cost, time schedules, payment schedules, guarantees, work to be done, and other expectations should be detailed.
- Never sign a contract with blanks or incomplete information.
- Never pay a contractor in full or sign a completion certificate until the work is finished, and ensure reconstruction is up to current code requirements.
REPORT FRAUD: Anyone with information concerning insurance fraud or vehicle theft can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 800.TEL.NICB (800.835.6422) or submitting a form here.
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