Detective Frankie Griffin said white males in their early to middle 30s driving a white extended cab work truck have told two elderly people they have loose shingles on their roof.
They quote a price and then strip a portion of the roof to the plywood and up the amount they initially quote. In one case a victim was charged $300 for about $100 worth of work.
“Anybody riding around looking for work is a red flag,” Griffin told rrspin.com this morning. “People who need work done call a contractor.”
Deputy Chief Adam Bondarek said the purported contractors will show victims damp wood when “there is probably nothing wrong to begin with.”
Bondarek said any reputable firm is not going to solicit your business and people should be wary of door-to-door contractors.
He also said to heed the cliche if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. These people particularly prey on the elderly to get in their house to steal or defraud them.
He says anyone who suspects a scam should call the police department at 252-533-2810, Crimestoppers at 252-583-4444 or 911.
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