How to avoid falling prey to fraud after a disaster?

5/7/2021 (Permalink)

Choose a company that you can trust like SERVPRO of West Covina for all your restoration needs. As general contractor's we can help you rebuild.

As we know, businesses and families have suffered much financially this past year. Crime and scammers have increased. Ring doorbell recordings show how brazen criminals have become. People will take advantage of any situation, unfortunately even after a storm or fire disaster. They know insurance money will be available and they will take try to gain from your great loss. What can you do to protect yourself from becoming a victim?

Protect yourself against fraudulent contractors by doing good research online. A business card with only a first name is a red flag. You will need the contractor’s full name, legal business name, address, and state license number.

Using all the information google the person and the city they work in, if you find nothing at all, that is weird. If you google their company name, what appears? Are they featured on multiple platforms? Validate their contractor’s license is active through CA.gov. Look to see if any complaints have been filed against them through the BBB and Angie’s List. What do online reviews say? If some are negative, what is the response from management, is it satisfactory to you? Ask for multiple references and follow up on speaking with them. Ensure that you proceed with a written contract of work to be completed.

Be careful and rely on your gut instinct. If something seems too good to be true, it likely is. By hiring a nationally known company like SERVPRO who cares about helping our community and maintains the highest reputation you can trust the work you hire us for will be completed to your satisfaction.