Beware Traveling Scammers, Sheriff's Office Warns

TAMPA, FL — Tampa Bay area residents are being warned to keep an eye out for two scams working their way around the community.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, criminal activity related to traveling thieves tends to rise in the Tampa Bay area each spring, but this year reports are rolling in early.

The first illegal activity involves outright theft and tends to occur during daytime hours, the sheriff’s office said in an email to media. During these crimes, suspects will “literally walk right into someone’s home for the purpose of stealing jewelry or money,” the email warned. “Very often, the homeowner is either in or near the home.” Should a homeowner confront a gypsy, they will give excuses to explain their presence on the property, the agency warned.

The best way to avoid this type of crime is to keep garage doors closed and other doors locked, the sheriff’s office said. “Remember every time you are outside your home, you cannot possibly see every door that a would-be thief might enter,” the email noted.

The second type of scam involves traveling groups of people who “invade our communities preying on unsuspecting homeowners, often time the elderly, going door to door offering to pave or seal driveways at a very cheap price.”

These scammers tend to request payment up front and prefer cash, but will take checks if they must. These scammers, the sheriff’s office said, perform shoddy work or use substandard materials. If there’s a problem with the work performed or a repair needs to be done, the victim won’t be able to locate the worker, the sheriff’s office noted.

Should a victim pay by check and try to stop payment due to poor workmanship, the victim will normally find the check has “already been cashed and the name on the check is usually fictitious or belongs to an uninvolved third party.”

To avoid “traveler” scams, the sheriff’s office said to avoid work offers that are unsolicited and sound “too good to be true.” It’s also best to check references and go through the Better Business Bureau. As for paying in advance, the sheriff’ office says it’s best to wait until work is performed and completed.

Hillsborough County residents who find themselves targeted by construction or home improvement scams are asked to contact the sheriff’s office’s construction fraud unit at 813-247-8622.

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