Oklahoma AG Edmondson Urges Caution During Clean-Up Effort

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12/13/2007 -- In the wake of our state’s winter storms, Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson today warned consumers to be wary of the possibility for clean-up-related-scams.

“People are anxious to clean up their yards and begin the process of putting their homes and their lives back in order,” Edmondson said. “Unfortunately, there are people who will take advantage of the desperation of others. I just want to encourage Oklahomans to take steps to protect themselves and their wallets from further victimization.”

Last year, Edmondson’s Consumer Protection Unit received 145 home-repair-related-complaints. The number of complaints typically spikes following a natural disaster such as this week’s ice storms.

“We are already getting word that there are folks going door-to-door offering to clean up tree limbs for a fee,” Edmondson said. “While that may seem convenient, hiring someone you don’t know and don’t check out can have devastating effects on your pocket book.”

The attorney general today gave the following tips to aid Oklahomans when hiring clean-up help:

* Be wary of hiring door-to-door repairmen. Stick to businesses that have a physical office location.

* Always have a detailed written contract. The contract should spell out all costs for the work to be done and specify start and completion dates.

* Never pay a large amount of money up front. If a repairman demands a large down payment, you should see it as a warning sign.

* Contact the Attorney General’s Office or the Oklahoma Better Business Bureau to see if there have been any complaints against a particular repairman. If the repairman has a history of unhappy customers, take your business elsewhere.

* For more information or to report possible fraud, contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit at (405) 521-2029.

Source: Oklahoma Attorney General