Attorney General offers tips to beat summertime scams | Crime

With warm weather-related scams on the rise, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today released a guide listing some of the most common summer frauds targeting the state, and offered tips to protect New Yorkers from abuse. A growing problem during summer months, unscrupulous scam artists prey on New Yorkers as they embark on home improvement projects and plan family vacations. Schneiderman asked New Yorkers to notify his office of any summer scams designed to dupe unsuspecting consumers.

“When the weather is warm, unscrupulous scammers prey on homeowners who are looking to improve their property, seniors who are trying to beat the heat, or families looking for a vacation deal. Consumers ought to proceed with caution, particularly when faced with unsolicited offers,” said Schneiderman in a statement. “It’s critical that seasonal scams are reported to the authorities so that we can hold wrongdoers accountable, limit their damage, and protect consumers from abuse.”

Among the most common summer scams are those related to unsolicited home improvement projects, including paint jobs and weatherproofing. Vacation rental and timeshare fraud are also common scams that target consumers in the summer months. Attorney General Schneiderman urged consumers who believe they have been victimized by a summer scam to contact the Attorney General's Consumer Complaint Hotline at: 800-771-7755 or online at: ag.ny.gov.

Below is the Attorney General’s guide to protecting New Yorkers from summer scams, it is also available online at: www.ag.ny.gov/bureaus/consumer_frauds/tips/pdfs/Summer_Scams_web_brochure.pdf