Scammers and price gougers are out there

Within hours of the tornado strike, damaged neighborhoods were inundated by contractors ready for work. Fortunately, most of them are likely to be honest individuals looking to help for a fair price. But, as the Oconee Sheriff’s Office has warned, beware of the scammer and the price gouger. Sheriff Mike Crenshaw says his officers are available to respond to any suspicion that a contractor is taking advantage of a tornado victim. A scammer who tries to pressure a homeowner into a contract is a red flag, according to Crenshaw. The sheriff’s office has assigned extra patrols to the tornado damaged areas. Another potential scam is a telephone caller who pushes for a donation for tornado relief. It’s Crenshaw’s recommendation that all donations should be made to the Seneca Tornado Relief Fund or to the fund set up by the United Way of Oconee.  Crenshaw was interviewed today by JoAnn Johnson, executive director of the Oconee Chamber of Commerce.