Sponsored By GAF – This is the largest con on homeowners according to the Better Business Bureau’s annual Scam Tracker Risk Report.

The man knocks on your front door and claims to have excess roofing material from another job nearby. He offers to repair yours for a small fee.

You already know what you get for your bupkis.

Usually, the scammer — especially one who loves to appear in areas that are recovering from major storms – takes the money and then runs with little or no work.

“You always try to give people the benefit of the doubt,”Felicia Thompson from the Bureau spoke at a local CBS TV station located in Arizona. “Not everybody’s bad, but nowadays you just can’t do that.”

No, you can’t. Now that you are aware of this scam, continue reading to find out how to hire a reputable contractor to replace or repair your roof.

* Make certain they’re insured. It is a must that all subcontractors and employees are covered by the contractor. You can inspect their certificate and get a copy.

“Actually call the insurance carrier to confirm that they are valid,”Angie’s List provides advice.

* Run if they suggest this. Do you think the contractor trying to win your business claimed that they could handle a storm-related problem without you having to pay your deductible? You don’t want to be part of insurance fraud.

* Run even faster if they suggest this. It’s okay for contractors to request a down payment prior to work starting. “earnest money”If the amount exceeds 20 percent of the bill’s total projected cost, be careful. They should not start talking about 50 percent or 75 percent. . .

“The red flags of possible fraud are fluttering,”James Quiggle of the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud has issued a warning.

* Know your contractor. It’s important to hire a contractor that is a member a reputable roofing manufacturer’s contractor program for peace of mind. However, certification is not enough. GAF, North America’s largest roofing manufacturer is extremely strict about who it names as its highest-ranking employees. “Master Elite Contractors”Only 2% of roofing contractors are certified. You can quickly search for one in your local area on the gaf.comWebsite.

“We have a full vetting process we go through to determine whether they’re the right contractors to put in our program, like making sure they’re licensed and insured where required, and have a history of installing roofs in the local community,”Jim Slauson (GAF vice president for certification program and services), said the following:

* Communication skills matter. A contractor who is knowledgeable will show you a range roofing shingle and accessory options based on price, style and colour. A bad sign is to balk at going through them together.

And what about the Scam Tracker Annual Risk Report? Guess who? “most susceptible,”As the Bureau put it delicately, home improvement scams generally? Men 55-64 years old.

You’re now doubly warned.