SPOKANE – The state Department of Labor and Industries is advising wildfire victims to be on the lookout for contractors not registered with the department.
Opportunists taking advantage of five victims have already included individuals burglarizing evacuated properties and others impersonating Red Cross assessors to gain access to homes during recovery efforts.
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“Disasters like our state’s recent wildfires often bring out scam artists itching to make a buck from homeowners desperate to quickly rebuild or repair their homes,” Labor and Industries officials said in a news release. “L&I requires construction contractors to be registered and have liability insurance, a business license and a bond to provide some financial protection if something goes wrong with the project.”
“As tempting as it is to go with the first person you find, it’s crucial to check their background before you hire a contractor,” agency contractor compliance chief Melissa McBride said. “Sadly, far too many homeowners who’ve been cheated by unregistered contractors tell us they wish they would have checked first to see if they were registered with L&I.”
Property owners can check a contractor’s registration status by calling Labor and Industries at 800-647-0982 and pressing 2.
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