
25. Do Not Pay The Full Price Upfront.
Many scam artists will lowball you a deal that seems too good to be true — because, of course, it is. However, they will then say that you have to pay the total price upfront for them to begin working. According to the Federal Trade Commission, many states have a set limit on how much a contractor can request as a down payment. A repair person requesting everything upfront is probably not in compliance with regulations and is hoping you are not aware of this limit. Though the practice is illegal, many contractors request much money from a new job to complete another job. Only make the final payment when the repair work is complete, and you are fully satisfied with it.
A similar red flag is that the scam artist will say that they only accept cash or check. The reason may very well be that credit card companies have blocked this individual from receiving payments. Why? Because of a history of fraud. Plus, in this day and age, just about any company should be set up so that it can receive a credit card payment. When in doubt, check the Better Business Bureau. That way, you can see if this individual has a history of fraud and scams. Check the the purported company that they claim to represent, too. When sure, make a report to help protect other people from a similar scam.