Friday, August 9, 2024
North Carolinians are picking up the pieces after Tropical Storm Debby, and our office is here to help protect them from scammers. After storms hit, our office regularly learns about tree removal and disaster repair scams. Follow our tips to help protect yourself.
- Watch out for price gouging and report it to our office. Our state’s price gouging law is in effect. If businesses charge excessive prices during a time of crisis, our office will hold them accountable.
- Do your research before you do business with someone. If you’re hiring a contractor or business to help with repair work, contact our office’s Consumer Protection Division and the Better Business Bureau to see if they have complaints against the company. Ask neighbors for local references and look online for reviews.
- Don’t cave to pressure. If an offer is only good “now or never”, find someone else to do the job. Never let someone pressure you into an agreement and remember: anything that seems too good to be true usually is.
- Always insist on a written contract and know about your right to cancel. Under state law, you can cancel a contract up to three days after you sign, and the contract must provide instructions on how to cancel if: (1) the contractor or representative personally solicits you; (2) the agreement takes place somewhere other than the contractor’s place of business; and (3) you did not initiate the contact and ask the contractor to visit your home to do the work. If you have the right to cancel, and if you change your mind or spot a red flag about the contract within three days, you must notify the contractor in writing. Also, if a contractor or other door-to-door solicitor asks you to sign a contract on a tablet, you should insist on getting a printed copy of the contract then and there, especially if the three-day right to cancel applies.
If you believe you have been a victim of a scam or you see price gouging, report it to our office at www.ncdoj.gov/complaint.