Our community has had a very emotional few months and while it seems that things will never go back to “normal” there is always hope that tomorrow will be better than the last day. As we rebuild our homes and community, don't forget that there are people who will try to take advantage of our situation. Scams and price gauging are the last thing we should have to deal with, but if there is an opportunity, sadly, someone will try to abuse it.

So, here are some helpful tips to help us avoid being scammed and to bring our community back stronger and better than ever:

• Make sure you deal with a licensed and reputable contractor. Check with the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org and the Secretary of State at www.sos.la.gov.
• Never pay with cash up-front. Also, pay in installments and make sure that the work being done is consistent with the payments. It is best to pay with a check or credit card but get a receipt if you are paying with cash.
• Always ask for references and get everything in writing.
• If you suspect price gauging, report it to the Attorney General's office at www.ag.state.la.us

Here are some other websites with a little more information :

http://www.restorationsos.com/education/natural-disasters/education-enrichment/how-to-avoidcontractor-scams-after-a-natural-disaster.asp

http://www.ncphif.org/before-your-project/contractor-dos-and-donts/

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/disasters-disaster/story?id=17128352