Hot weather brings summertime scammers in CT. How to keep yourself safe

With temperatures peaking and summer in full swing, seasonal scams are likely to return.The Better Business Bureau has highlighted three scams to be on the lookout for: Utility company imposters, vacation rental scams, and paving scams.Here is how they work and how you can protect yourself from getting duped.Utility Company ImpostersUtility company imposters will pose as your local utility company with an offer to perform a home energy audit, per BBB. It often involves filling out paperwork for a credit check and buying “discounted” equipment to lower the bill. They then take your info and charge your card for equipment that never arrives.Firstly, never let anyone you do not trust inside your home, according to BBB. Scammers will often have a fake ID, too.Take your time and do your research, too. Do not agree to anything on the spot, and reach out to your utility company directly to confirm if they are offering energy audit services, the BBB said.Vacation Rental ScamsThis scam involves individuals pretending they own vacation rentals, according to BBB. They claim they are offering you a deal by booking directly through them compared to using a big name vacation rental industry. In reality, the property is not for rent or not owned by them at all.Per BBB, the first step is to be wary of any online ads you might see offering vacation rentals.Again, BBB recommends doing your research. Search for the owner’s name and the property address and watch for any dishonest behavior or bad reviews.Finally, avoid sharing personal info outside of the rental platform.Paving ScamsAnother scam to be on the lookout for involves scammers offering to pave your driveway, according to BBB. They will convince you to put down a large deposit and either disappear with the money or do a shoddy job.One big detail to keep yourself safe is to watch for unsolicited offers, per BBB: “Most scams involving contractors begin when a random contractor goes out of their way to offer you an estimate that was never requested.” This is especially true if it’s “discounted.”Again, do your own research on the contractor. BBB recommends checking out their website at BBB.org and avoiding any contractors with multiple negative reviews and complaints.Watch out for full upfront payments as well, per BBB. An upfront payment should never be the full amount. Ask about stagger payments instead so work can be inspected for every step of the project.

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