Ken Bibbee removes flood-damaged flooring at his property in the wake of Hurricane Ian Sunday in Bonita Springs.
Sean Rayford/Getty ImagesWith so much damage left behind due to Hurricane Ian, scammers are ready to take their best shot at getting some cash out of your wallet. St. Petersburg police posted four tips to avoid getting taken for a ride by shady fake insurance companies or crooked contractors.
The call you SHOULDN'T take...
If you get a phone call you didn't ask for from someone claming to be with your insurance company, don't give out any information to "verify" your account.
The call you SHOULD make...
If you get one of those suspicious calls, hang up. Then call your insurance company to see if there was any legitimate reason for a call. Chances are it was a fraud.
Contractor claims...
If a contractor says they work directly with your insurance company, be skeptical. Do NOT give them your policy number, your coverage amounts or any other kind of personal information they can use.
To see if a contractor is legit...
Simply verify they are licensed and insured. Don't take them at their word. Always do the research at myfloridalicense.com. There you can also file a complaint.
