Severe weather can bring storm damage repair scams
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Spring is right around the corner and with the change in season comes an increased chance for inclement and dangerous weather.
During Severe Weather Awareness Week, Ohioans are encouraged to be proactive and make a plan before severe weather strikes — in order to keep yourself, your family and your loved ones safe.
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Better Call 4 and the Ohio Attorney General's Office also want to help you prepare for the aftermath when repairs are needed and so-called 'storm chasers' come calling.
'So, they're going door to door, they're in the neighborhoods,' Ryan Lippe, a consumer educator with the Ohio Attorney General's Office, said. 'If they say they have leftover materials, it's probably a scam.'
Lippe said there are contractors or companies that appear after a storm seeking to collect cash from vulnerable homeowners but are out-right con artists. Other times, they may be legitimate businesses that are just bad at business.
'When there's a natural disaster, some of them go way over their head in terms of the number of jobs they can support with their current workforce,' Lippe said. 'There's a gray area, where they might do a little bit of the work just to say they've done something, but then they leave either a shoddy job or they just don't come back to finish the job. So, sometimes it's a mistake on their end, sometimes it's a scam.'
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Regardless, Lippe said, it's up to you as the home, business, or property owner to take steps to protect yourself.
'Check it out, get some research done on the company name, maybe get some more estimates before you decide to have work done,' Lippe said. 'Because under state law, if they're going door to door, they're supposed to be giving you a three-day cancellation period before they even start work. So, it's a red flag if they want to start work right away.'
When it comes to cleaning up from severe storm damage, the best place to start is with your insurance company.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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