Waterloo regional police warn residents of roof repair scams

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Waterloo regional police are warning residents about roof repair scams now that summer is here to stay.

According to police, homeowners are being targeted by fraudulent contractors who show up at their homes and use high-pressure tactics to convince victims the work is needed.

In recent weeks, police have received complaints about fraudsters starting repair work without the consent of the homeowner and then claiming they’re owed money for the work they did.

“They will require down payments and ask them to be in cash rather than using a proper invoice and bank transfer,” Waterloo regional police said on a post to X. “The costs start to rise once the work is started and the work is either not completed or completed substandard.”

Common tactics used by scammers include:

To protect themselves, police recommend homeowners take the following precautions:

Homeowners who suspect they’ve been targeted by a roof repair scam are urged to report the incident to police immediately. Victims can file a complaint through the police department’s non-emergency line or online reporting system.