LONGWOOD, Fla. – Florida officials are warning homeowners in Longwood to beware of fraudulent contractors following a tornado that struck the area Monday morning.
In response, the state has deployed a disaster fraud strike team to the Whispering Winds neighborhood to monitor potential scams.
Residents say they have been inundated with unsolicited visits from roofing contractors since the storm.
“Within the first six to eight hours, we had 50, 60 people knocking on the door,” said Don Shenoy, who lives near Blue Iris Place.
Shenoy, whose home security cameras captured the tornado as it passed through, described the experience as overwhelming.
“They would not go away. We kept telling them we have all the roofers we need, but they insisted on taking a look. It was a horrific experience,” he said.
His neighbor, Aaron Jennings, echoed similar concerns.
“It’s almost like an ambulance chaser,” Jennings said. “There are a lot of people in need, and you have people knocking on doors trying to scam them for overpriced tree services and inflated insurance claims.”
Florida officials said the state’s disaster fraud action strike team has been activated in Seminole County to help prevent fraud. The team will go door-to-door educating residents about potential scams and advising them not to sign any contracts without verification.
“Soliciting door-to-door is a formula for disaster,” said insurance industry expert Tom Cotton.
Cotton advises homeowners to contact their insurance providers before hiring any contractors.
“Any unsolicited contractor coming to your house, you shouldn’t even bother having a conversation with them. Use trusted sources that you know,” he said.
State officials warn that scammers often pressure homeowners into signing contracts with promises that seem too good to be true.
“If it sounds too good to be true, it is,” officials cautioned in a statement.
As cleanup continues in Longwood, residents remain on high alert, hoping to avoid becoming victims of post-disaster fraud.