Politics & Government

Elkridge, Beware of Unlicensed Contractors

Lawyers Hill resident reported a fraudulent company offering storm damage services. Consumer Affairs said business was not licensed.

Though Hurricane Irene passed through Elkridge several days ago, residents should keep their guard up when people come to their homes offering storm damage-related services, advised Howard County’s Office of Consumer Affairs.

“If contractors are cutting down trees, they have to be licensed by the Department of Natural Resources,” said Lila Boor, investigator for Howard County's consumer affairs, during a phone interview with Elkridge Patch. “And if they’re soliciting, they have to be licensed by us.”

On Wednesday afternoon, a reader in Lawyers Hill contacted Elkridge Patch to report that a business named "Dunn Rite" had been going door-to-door giving estimates for tree removal services in that neighborhood.

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The business was not licensed by Howard County, said Rebecca Bowman, administrator for the Office of Consumer Affairs. In fact, "I have checked our list of licensed peddlers and solicitors and there are none who are in the business of doing tree removal or landscaping," said Bowman in an e-mail.

Hurricane Irene dealt Lawyers Hill a blow—part of Lawyers Hill Road was closed, one home was posted as uninhabitable, and power was out in some areas.

Find out what's happening in Elkridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“It’s no secret that fraudsters follow the money, attracted by the demand for repairs and the availability of funds,” stated the Howard County Office of Consumer Affairs in a press release.

The Elkridge Patch reader reported that the contractor traveling through the neighborhood had “a very official truck, business cards, and invoices using a Licensed Tree Expert (LTE) number that belongs to another [business].”

The Office of Consumer Affairs offered tips for protecting your assets if post-storm contractors come knocking, stating in a press release, “While you can’t ‘disaster-proof’ your home when Mother Nature comes to call, you can disaster-proof your wallet from con artists who are out to make an easy score." Here's how:

  • Ask to see a Howard County Solicitor’s Permit. Door-to-door salespeople must be registered with the Office of Consumer Affairs before soliciting business. Call the Office of Consumer Affairs at 410-313-6420 to make sure that the solicitor is registered.
  • Check the person's ID : Always ask for identification from any “official” who stops at your home. They may masquerade as safety inspectors or utility repair workers who say immediate work is required. Some scam artists claim to be from government agencies that can access disaster relief payments once you pay a “processing” fee. Still others say they can get you government funds more quickly for a fee. No government agency charges application or processing fees.
  • Take down their license number. Ask for the contractor’s Maryland Home Improvement License number. Then contact the Home Improvement Commission at 410-230-6309 to confirm that the license number is valid and up to date. Find out whether other consumers have filed complaints with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Maryland Home Improvement Commission.
  • Get things in writing. Beware of any offer that sounds too good to be true and assume that any offer that is made on a “now or never” basis is fraudulent.

For the complete list of suggestions, see the Office of Consumer Affairs' press release here. For tips on avoiding post-storm charity scams, see the FBI's press release here.


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