Contractor Fraud & Scam Warnings

Out-of-state contractors follow tornado tracks. Some are legitimate. Many take a large deposit and are never seen again, or do work so poor it has to be torn out and redone at your expense.

Rules worth being rude about:

• Never pay in full up front. A third down is a normal maximum. Never pay entirely in cash, by wire, by gift card, or through a payment app to someone you just met
• Never sign anything on the doorstep, including an "inspection authorisation" — some of those forms are actually contracts assigning your insurance claim to the contractor
• Verify the credential yourself. Wisconsin requires a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier credential for most residential work. Look it up in the state's license search rather than trusting a card or a website
• Get it in writing — full scope, materials, total price, timeline, and the contractor's real business address and license number
• Confirm insurance. Ask for the certificate and call the insurer to confirm it is active. If an uninsured worker is hurt on your property, that can become your liability
• Be suspicious of urgency. "This price is only good today" and "I have leftover material from a job nearby" are the two oldest lines in the trade
• Check them out with the Better Business Bureau and search the business name plus "complaint"

Your insurer does not require you to use any particular contractor, and you are never obliged to accept the first offer.

Report fraud and price gouging to the Wisconsin Bureau of Consumer Protection at 1-800-422-7128.

The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services maintains a public credential search. Enter the business or individual name and confirm the credential is real, current and not subject to discipline.

Most residential construction and remodeling in Wisconsin requires a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier credential. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work require their own separate licenses — a general contractor is not automatically licensed for those.

If the name they give you does not appear, or the credential is expired or suspended, walk away. Do not accept "it is under my partner's name" without checking that name too.

Fraudulent fundraisers copy genuine photographs and family names from news coverage and social media, often within a day or two. Some also impersonate real charities using near-identical names and lookalike web addresses.

Before giving:

• Check the organization at charitynavigator.org, give.org or guidestar.org
• Type the web address yourself rather than following a link from a message or social post
• Be wary of anything created this week. Prefer organizations that existed before July 27
• On crowdfunding sites, look at whether the organizer is clearly connected to the beneficiary. Platforms verify far less than people assume
• Never pay by gift card, wire transfer or cryptocurrency. No legitimate charity asks for those. That request alone is proof of fraud
• Ignore pressure. Real charities are glad to have your donation next week

Report suspected charity fraud to the Wisconsin Bureau of Consumer Protection at 1-800-422-7128.

A common scam after a declared disaster involves people posing as FEMA, insurance, or government inspectors.

What is always true:

• Applying for FEMA assistance is free. So is applying for an SBA disaster loan. Anyone charging a fee to file for you is running a scam
• Real inspectors carry official photo identification and will show it without being asked. Ask to see it. Write down the name and number
• A genuine FEMA inspector already has your registration number and will never ask you to tell them your full Social Security number or bank details to "verify" it
• FEMA does not require you to use a specific contractor, and no federal official will recommend one
• Never give banking information to someone who called or came to you unprompted

If someone claiming federal authority demands money, get a description and a plate number if you safely can, and report it to local police and the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 1-866-720-5721.