The Dearborn police are warning residents, especially seniors, about scam artists who are going door-to-door claiming the home needs urgent repairs, whether the repairs are needed or not. These scam artists arrive at doorsteps, often at well-kept homes, and offer discounted payments for urgent repairs, with full, upfront payments. If they succeed, and the homeowner gives them money, the con artists disappear with the money without ever performing the work.
Commander Timothy McHale runs investigations at the Dearborn Police Department. He’s watched these scammers who focus on older residents with tidy yards and display telltale signs like wicker chairs on front porches. “If someone is knocking on your door telling you that you have a home repair you need to make, you know that’s not normal,” McHale said, according to ClickOnDetroit.
One wrong scam artist can drain thousands from a bank account. Victims pay for shoddy work or get nothing at all. “They’ll be promises of entire concrete porches being replaced, or driveways, and really they’ll just slap a little concrete or mortar or tar on the driveway; you know repairs that take maybe 20 minutes,” McHale said. These scams have increased in the Dearborn area. McHale sees the pattern spreading through each neighborhood, making homeowners hesitate when someone rings the bell. “It really is fraud,” he said.
“They’ll make them feel like it’s a safety issue, and it needs to be repaired now,” McHale said. “It’s human nature you want to see the best in people. I can promise you these individuals want nothing but your money.”
Warning signs of a home repair scam include the person dressing unprofessionally, demanding up-front payment, and pressuring the homeowner for payment, citing the issues’ cause safety concerns. These are signs homeowners should not ignore. Officers tell residents not to give workers payment until they finish the job. Homeowners must request identification cards, proof of a professional contractor license, and written price quotes before agreeing to any project.
Linda Scott lives in Dearborn. She won’t open the door for strangers. “By me being a senior, an older woman that is living by myself. I wouldn’t answer the door,” Scott said. She has strong words for these home repair scam artists: “That’s not right. For those that are doing it, they’re going to get what’s coming to them,” she said.
If you’ve been a victim of a home repair scam or have been approached by a scammer, contact the Dearborn Police Department online or call them by dialing 311 or 313-943-2150.
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