CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) -
North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper is asking homeowners to be well-informed about potential scammers moving through the state.
Some con artists work and travel in groups, descending on an area and scamming as many local residents as possible before moving on, the Attorney General says.
The traveling con artists usually knock on your door and offer some kind of service, like driveway or home repairs. In most cases, the repairs are unnecessary, overpriced, and poorly done, if done at all, the release states.
Some con artists also use "distraction" scams. These scams usually involve one or two people who keep a homeowner occupied while a third crook, sometimes pretending to be ill or pregnant, steals cash, jewelry, or other valuables from the home.
Many of these firms and individuals are prohibited from doing business in North Carolina, but the Attorney General says the best protection is still a well-informed consumer.
Homeowners are urged to very skeptical when someone knocks on your door offering to do work, no matter how convincing they may be.
If you spot a con artist or suspicious group operating in your neighborhood, you should call your local law enforcement.
If you think you may have been scammed, you can report it to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM, or by filing a complaint online at www.ncdoj.gov.
Copyright 2012 WBTV. All rights reserved.
