'Cowboy' businesses

[EnglishBengal]

Thought I would bring this up.

I am currently living with my elderly parents, and feel like like I have 'MUG' tatooed across my forehead.  We keep getting cowboy roofers coming to our door and saying our roof is defective (on one occasion last year, some Gipsies even tried to con us with this, and proceeded to climb on our roof and take bricks out of our chimney, the police were called needless to say).  The roof was redone by a legit business less than 5 years ago.

Then only last week we had a tree surgeon cut a conifer bush in our front garden, we paid the correct money and a receipt was given.  Then suddenly the guy turns up on our doorstep over a week later saying we were £100 short on payment (he'd just fixed his van and needed money for repairs, I guess).  I told him to stop needlessly harassing our family for extra money, otherwise I will call the police.

Is this kind of behaviour experienced in the US too?

 

[esjbh2]

Yes, sadly con artists are everywhere. 

I live in Cincinnati and it seems like the roofing con is a perennial favorite with the varied weather we get including hail, winds, etc.  Insurance companies seem like the real targets lately since they don't seem to double check roofers claiming damage, and the homeowner is happy to get anything "free" since the roofers get insurance to pay.  Of course some are legitimate, but many are not.

The gypsy scenario seems more like a stereotype/cliche to me, since I've only "heard of" them from friends of a friend of a friend distant word of mouth kinda of thing.  The stories seem to related to roofing, blacktop, and other labor intensive jobs, and sometimes involve strong arm tactics.  I've never directly seen/heard of these though.

Older people are also frequent targets.  My older inlaws seem to be visited often by people wanting to "cleanup all those nasty spider webs" and "make the place look great" and other non-specific offers.  When asked what they propose to do, they only offer something like "improve your property" with no specifics or no written estimates or pricing.  Most want to come in their house too which may be the ultimate goal for them. 

Lots of people desperate for money for their next drug fix too.

[-GoBengals-]

i did not experience that in ohio, but i either live with my parents out in the country, in a new house, or in an apartment there..

have not had it here in colorado, but i have a new build and a tile roof,...

we have people selling bug and rodent services, which are bullshit.. but nothing much else..random foreingers selling artwork and shit