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Show Con Artists Bilking Home Owners Residents rf southern . Utah are being advised by local law enforcement agencies to be careful when allowing work to be done to their homes by people posing -as legitimate roofing or, asphalt contractors. Crime Prevention Offficer Craig Holyoak reports that agencies in the Salt Lake City area have alerted the police in southern Utah that fraudulent repairmen are ', currently working in the state and are likely to come to this region. Sergeant Holyoak reports that the common rip-off is for the workers to go door to door telling residents that their homes are in need of repairs such as roof sealing, asphalt repair, insulation, or termite control. The work is then done for a healthy fee using worthless materials such as aluminum-based paint that gives the appearance of roof sealant but actually provides no sealing protection. Black, paint-like . substances are used instead of asphalt na.terials and the vicitm finns the Tepair work washing awfcy with the first rain. Generally tne home is not -in need of such repairs but the owner is conned into believing the work is . necessary. The transient ; con-artists seem par-(- ticularly attracted to bilking the elderly and mobile home owners. Sergent Holyoak says there are legitimate contractors con-tractors whe do this kind of repair work and if there is any doubt in the homeowner's mind if the work is needed or if the repairman is a legitimate contractor, they should ask to see the worker's credentials and city license, get a second opinion about the repairs and call the police at 586-6531 if there remains any question. Persons observing suspicious business practices prac-tices in our area are also invited to call the police before anyone is victimized. |
