Residents urged to be on lookout for scammers

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Trumbull County residents affected by hailstorms Tuesday evening are urged to be on the lookout for potential roof- inspection scammers.

Joshua Aikens, executive director of the Home Builders/Remodelers Association of Mahoning Valley, said homeowners who are approached by unsolicited roof or siding contractors should refrain from having any work done and should not sign any paperwork.

This includes paperwork verifying the visit, which Aikens said if signed, could allow the contractors to become the “agent of record,” and they would receive 25 percent of any repair fees, regardless if they actually do any work.

“Don’t let some stranger on your roof,” he said. “If you have suspected hail damage, you call somebody.”

Aikens said these “storm-chasing” contractors recently have left the Mahoning Valley to find work in storm-stricken areas such as St. Louis and Alabama, but the HBA has received reports of area homeowners receiving return calls from the contractors.

He said activity like this has happened before, including last summer, when out-of-towners posed as local contractors in Hubbard.

Aikens said the unsolicited contractors have incorrectly installed roofing or siding.

“We just want our local Valley homeowners to be protected,” he added.