The Larimer County Sheriff's Office is warning people to be aware of scammers going door-to-door offering home repair and construction work which is never performed.

It's not a new problem or one that is only seen in Colorado. Similar scams have been reported in Cheyenne over the years, with scammers often turning up after major hail storms and other damaging events. Bogus offers to do roofing work  have been a particular favorite of traveling con artists.

Following a severe hailstorm in 2018, then Cheyenne-Mayor Marian Orr warned people about "snakes" who follow major storms and promise to do roofing or other repair work. But either the work never gets done or it is of extremely poor quality.

In fact such scams have been a recurrent problem for many years, across Wyoming and the entire country.

In Cheyenne anyone performing roofing or other repair work should have a contractor's license issued by the City of Cheyenne.

City code says "Contractors must display their license number on all advertising, contracts, and bids."

You can ask to see the license, or if you are in doubt call the Cheyenne Compliance Department at (307) 637-6265. Or you can check the status of a prospective contractor online.

In a Facebook post a couple of days ago, the Larimer County Sheriff's Office said that while not all door-to-door solicitors are con artists, people would do well to follow a few guidelines to protect themselves:

-don't allow yourself to be rushed into making a decision on a contractor. Scammers in general (not only those hawking home repairs) rely on being able to make snap decisions without checking out details or considering options.

-do your homework, In the words of the post ''If you're thinking about home repair, renovations, or big-ticket additions, research the company before committing. A quick online search will often yield consumer reviews and experiences. The absence of information or multiple negative reviews are both red flags."

-shop locally. Look for established companies with a good reputation in the community. Word of mouth from people you know is often a good recommendation.

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