As many head out to their summer homes, it’s more important than ever to know when foul play is afoot.
State Attorney General A.G. Schneiderman recently released a series of tips about how to avoid scams for summer-home owners and renters, and those looking to report problems online or for the full list can go to ag.ny.gov. The office is also offering a consumer complaint hotline at 1-800-771-7755 for those who believe they’ve been victimized. The hotline and tips are meant to help homeowners and consumers avoid overpaying for home improvement projects, being victimized by poor repair jobs or being scammed where vacation rentals are concerned.
According to the East Hampton Town Police Department, the latter problem is on the rise, especially with online sites such as Craigslist. Typically, a potential summer renter finds a place online and sends a security deposit, then arrives for vacation and discovers that the online landlord" does not in fact own the house.
"It stinks and it happens and we’re doing the best we can to get the word out," said East Hampton Town Detective Ryan Hogan, who estimated that there had already been perhaps 10 such incidents, or similar ones, this year.
Sometimes the true homeowner is not even aware that the house is listed online, and the scammer is in another state or even another country. Online money transfers often go into an account that is closed before the money can be recovered, Det. Hogan said.
The detective advised avoiding online rentals that "look too good to be true," not wiring money to a routing number without meeting the recipient face to face, and checking with the online listing service to make sure the listing is legitimate.
The attorney general echoed those suggestions, saying to avoid looking for deals on sites like Craigslist and using wire transfer services like Western Union or Money Gram to make payments on vacation rentals or timeshares.
There are also vacation certificate scams, when consumers buy a certificate supposedly entitling them to discounts on vacation opportunities without knowing what exceptions or requirements the certificate implies. This can be avoided by checking if the seller is registered with New York State and the Better Business Bureau, along with reading the purchase agreement carefully for cancellation policies and other restrictions.
Mr. Schneiderman noted that unsolicited home improvement projects, including weatherproofing and paint jobs, have been the most common scams reported this year. For those situations, the Attorney General’s Office advised consumers to check contractors with their local Better Business Bureau, be sure the contractor’s insurance is valid, and obtain multiple estimates.
“As the temperatures rise in the summertime, consumers should proceed with caution in regard to unsolicited offers,” Mr. Schneiderman said in a recent press release. “Unscrupulous scammers prey on families seeking vacation or timeshare deals, seniors looking to escape the heat, and homeowners working to improve their property. It’s vital that consumers report seasonal scams to the proper authorities so that we may hold these criminals accountable for their actions and prevent them from victimizing others.”
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Jon Winkler on Jun 24, 2016