Following fatal storms in southern and central Illinois Friday night, Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Tuesday warned residents to be on alert for scammers looking to exploit homeowners and business owners who may be in need of repairs from storm-related damage.
After severe storms and tornadoes resulted in several fatalities in Edwardsville, Ill., and damaged communities throughout the state, Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a state disaster proclamation for 28 counties and activated the State Emergency Operations Center to provide assistance in affected areas.
Raoul cautioned residents that scammers often move quickly into communities to take advantage of people with damage to their homes or businesses. Raoul noted these “storm chasers” use the opportunity to pressure people into making quick and often expensive decisions about cleanup and construction work. Raoul also warned residents that scam artists may be operating as public adjusters who offer “free” inspections to submit a claim to property owners’ insurance companies.
“While communities impacted by the weekend’s storms take stock and grieve all that was lost, residents should be aware that scammers are already devising ways to profit off the devastation,” Raoul said in a statement. “As residents and business owners look toward recovering and rebuilding after this tragedy, I urge them to take steps to protect against fraud by exercising caution before hiring contractors they do…
