SPRING BRINGS SCAMS

Citizens should take precautions to protect themselves

Wheat Ridge - It is that time of year again when a group of thieves, commonly known as "Travelers," descend upon our community with the primary purpose of taking advantage of our citizens by scamming them on various types of home repairs including but not limited to:

Ø Painting

Ø Roofing

Ø Asphalt/Concrete work

Ø Tree trimming

Ø Siding

Seniors are most often the victims of these con artists.

The travelers will typically drive through neighborhoods looking for seniors that may be working in their yards or sitting outside their home. Once the victim/homeowner is discovered, the traveler will approach the victim and identify "problems" with the home and/or driveway and pressure the victim into believing that the repair work is a critical need and that it must be tended to right away. In many cases the recommended repairs are not needed at all.

The thieves will require payment upfront, and then generally, one of two scenarios will occur: They never return to start the job, or they start the job but never return to finish it. Because these people are scam artists and not legitimate workers, they do more damage than good. The homeowner is then left with repairs and clean up needs that are far more extensive and expensive then the original repairs ever were.

Travelers usually drive pickup trucks with out-of-state license plates. They may also be pulling work equipment on a trailer behind the truck. These thieves may look like legitimate contractors, but they are not.

It can be difficult for law enforcement to investigate these crimes because, in most cases, the victim does not even realize they have been scammed until the thief is long gone.

Some tips for citizens:

- Be very leery of anyone who just shows up at your door and tells you "they were just driving in your neighborhood" and that they have noticed a serious problem, defect, or damage that needs to fixed right away.

- Never let anyone in your house you do not know.

- Never pay for work that has not been completed to your satisfaction.

- Never sign your name to a contract without first checking the company out. If the company is reputable, they will not mind if you ask for references.

- Never feel pressured to make a quick decision, and/or to sign anything.

- Have the company leave contact information with you. Then, before signing any contract, check with family, friends, neighbors, the Better Business Bureau, or the police if you have any questions or are unsure of the company.

- If you identify repair needs on your property, take your time and shop around.

- Protect yourself from identity theft. Never give an unknown person your personal information:

* Name

* Date of birth

* Credit card information

* Checking or savings account numbers.

* Your Social Security number

- Don't be afraid or embarrassed to call the police if you feel you may be a victim of a scam. Early intervention/investigation is critical in these cases. It can help catch the thief and maybe prevent another innocent person from becoming a victim.

Remember, if the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Citizens should immediately contact the Wheat Ridge Police Department at 303-237-2220 should they believe they have fallen victim to a traveler's scam or have any questions.