SHERMAN, Texas (KTEN) — As spring storms roll in, so do the con artists with their tool belts.

Scammers will move across Texoma attempting to profit from home owners with roof damage.

"You're going to get a lot of phone calls, and there are going to be a lot of contractors from out of the area that are going to say, 'Hey, can I inspect your roof?'" said Sherman police Sgt. Alex Shivers.

The so-called "roof repair contractors" will either call or show up, asking to inspect the damage to a  home. Some red flags to look out for include:

  • requests for a down payment on services
  • signing any type of contract

"As a legitimate roofing company, most companies do not take any money up front for repairs, or to even start your roof," said Get Roofed owner Cody Slagle.

Sherman police say con artists will act like an average person. When repair scams strike, roof legitimate repair firms are also affected.

"People get upset, and they start calling our office," Slagle said. "It reflects poorly on legitimate roofing companies around here, and it's very frustrating when a customer comes to us with the money gone. We can't cover that money they lost."

If you see someone going door-to-door in your area without permission, you're encouraged to call police..