Someone’s knockin’ at your door – do us all a favor and don’t let him in

August 27, 2010 – 10:07 am

It’s that time of year in Florida – the height of hurricane season. And with more activity off the coast, there’s more rain inland, and this often leads to flooding.

Unfortunately, the average Joe isn’t the only one checking the weather forecast. Criminals also know what the weather’s going to bring, and when there’s damage, they will prey on unsuspecting victims and take advantage of their misfortune.

The most common types of fraud after disaster strikes are scam artists, contractor fraud and identity theft. Scammers may come to your door or call you on the telephone, pretending to be a disaster official. They may try to charge money to inspect a home or file a fraudulent claim for assistance. Some of these phone contractors may even ask for advance payment or down payments, then disappear. Others may ask for personal information, which will be used to attempt to steal your identity.

To protect yourself, be mindful of the following suggestions.

• Be wary of anyone going door to door or asking for advance payment.
• Seek references and several written estimates from any contractor, and do business only with licensed, insured and reputable local contractors.
• Do not pay for services up front.
• Get a detailed written contract that discloses all costs before the work begins. Retain a copy of the final, signed contract.
• Do not give personal information such as your bank account or Social Security numbers, driver’s license number or other information to those without proper identification.

To protect yourself even further, call LifeLock and get proactive. Protect your personal information before anything happens. LifeLock will monitor 24/7 for all credit and non-credit related threats to your personal information, and if any such threat is found, you’ll be notified immediately via e-mail, postal mail or telephone. Then LifeLock’s team of experts will work to get the issue resolved in a timely manner.

LifeLock is one “contractor” you can count on, no matter what . Call them today.

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