Don’t Get Scammed After a Texas Disaster—Here’s What to Watch For

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has issued a warning to all Texas consumers of an increase in post-disaster scams. This comes after the devastating floods around the July 4th holiday in and around Central Texas.

What Are Post-Disaster Scams?

These scams are pretty self-explanatory: scams that occur after a natural disaster or major emergency has happened.

In Texas, we see three main forms of post-disaster scams: price gouging, door-to-door contractors, and fake charities.

Price Gouging in Texas

Price gouging occurs when businesses take advantage of disasters and charge excessively high prices on essential goods like food, fuel, and water. This is considered deceptive trade and is actually illegal in Texas.

Spotting Fake Door-to-Door Contractors

Door-to-door contracting scams are where people show up to your door after a disaster and offer to clean up or repair any property damage. Some may be honest, but others are known to severely overcharge for repairs.

In order to not fall victim to these scams, you should always seek professional estimates with an insurance adjuster in order to see the true cost of repair beforehand. Also, you should never feel rushed or pressured into signing a contract. Take your time and do your homework to stay informed and protected from scams.

Stopping Fake Charities Across Texas

Lastly, there are many fake charities out there that only seek to steal money from you for their own pockets. Some organizations will pose as legitimate charity groups just looking to assist victims.

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While some actually do seek to help others, you should also do your own research on these organizations before donating. It's important to know that most reputable charities do not travel door-to-door asking for cash or other forms of payments.

If you'd like to learn more about how to detect fraudulent charities, you can visit the watchdog website CharityWatch or the data gathering site Guidestar for more assistance.