Crow Wing Co. Urging Residents to Watch Out for Storm Cleanup Scammers

Credit: Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office

Scam artists and identity thieves are posing problems for Crow Wing County residents following last Wednesday’s storm.

With local home repair contractors out in the area, cleanup scammers are looking to take advantage of the opportunity. Local emergency management officials are urging residents to watch for and report any suspicious activity, and also look for common warning signs.

“You don’t want to pay cash upfront to somebody that comes out to say, ‘Hey, if you give us cash now, we can start some work and then we’ll come back later,'” advised Clayton Barg, Crow Wing County Emergency Management Director. “Ask for their state license, do they have a license to operate their business within the state of Minnesota? So make sure you’re asking for that.”

Experts say residents should research the company and call to verify information. They also say to consider asking your insurance company for an inspection to verify damage, don’t allow work to begin until a contract is signed, as a three-day cooling off period is required by Minnesota law, and to look up numbers or links to a business instead of using the one the scammer may provide.

If you have knowledge of fraud, you can report it to the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or by emailing [email protected].