Scam Artists At Work After The Storm

Tuesday, December 11th 2007, 5:07 pm

By: News On 6

With so many people dealing with so much in the aftermath, it's easy to see how a quick-fix could be appealing. Over a half-million addresses are still without power, and many homes have severe damage. It is easy to see how an offer to help clear away the debris could seem like a tempting offer, but The News On 6â€™s Margaret Stokes reports scam artists are at work.

Some residents could get the service they pay for, but for most that will not be the case. Rick Brinkley, President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Oklahoma has advice on how residents can avoid falling victim to a scam.

"What happens is that people will see all the tree damage, they'll see potential roof damage and the first thing they'll do is let common sense go out the window. What they're going to try to do is try to get the problem fixed quickly, and as a result they may end up costing themselves money because of not contacting their insurance company first,â€ said Rick Brinkley with the Better Business Bureau.

If hiring someone now is a must, donâ€™t forget the details when it comes to contact information.

"Make sure you have a physical location, a landline number, if at all possible, a cell phone number, a name. You may want to check their driverâ€™s license to make sure it matches up,â€ advised Rick Brinkley with the Better Business Bureau.

Watch the video: Residents Warned Of Con Artists

WEB EXTRA: Rick Brinkley Has Advice To Avoid Being Scammed