Be vigilant about storm damage scammers, Bemidji law enforcement says

BEMIDJI — As the home of the Lumberjacks, Bemidjians might feel pressured to clear tree debris away from their properties as quickly as possible following hurricane-strength winds.

But local law enforcement officials are encouraging home and business owners to be cautious with their contractors. In times of disaster, residents are encouraged to do their due diligence when hiring contractors for tree removal, roof repair and more.

Bemidji Police Chief Mike Mastin said homeowners should check references and licenses and wait before signing anything or handing over money.

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“I know everyone wants to have it cleaned up right now. And there's this belief that you got to get on the list, and that's unfortunately when we see the most of the scams happen," Mastin said.

He said a common scam results in people handing over thousands of dollars in cash as a deposit, only to have the promised tree cleanup or repair work never occur.

"They show up, they say, 'Hey, I notice you've got a tree on your roof. We're piling up a whole lot of jobs, the list is getting long, but I'll fix it for $5,000,'" Mastin said. "Typically, it's a price better than anything they've heard, but it's still a lot of money.

" ... Give me a deposit of $2,000 today, and I'll be back tomorrow to start.' And people are overwhelmed, because everything they've heard is, it's going to be weeks and months. So they hand out the $2,000 in cash, and they never see the person again.”

Andrew Dziengel

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KAXE

The city of Bemidji requires all contractors to be permitted through its building department, with more information on the city website. Mastin also warned of other scams that may be targeting the area, such as the grandparent scams.

"We've made national news, so now we are — I don't want to say a target, but now we are the focus of attention and we're also a focus of distraction," he said.

Beltrami County Sheriff Chief Deputy Jarrett Walton said while the county does not have permitting requirements like those within city limits, residents are still encouraged to do their homework.

"Just do do your due diligence and if something doesn't seem right, I wouldn't go with them," Walton said. "I mean, there's other contractors around as well, so, you know, just be be mindful. And if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”