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Read the latest alert from N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper:

Reports have surfaced of some roofers tricking North Carolina homeowners into expensive and possibly unnecessary repairs. Some companies call homeowners after strong storms pass through neighborhoods, saying that nearby roofs were damaged in the storm. Others cruise neighborhoods and approach homeowners door-to-door. In each case, they offer to inspect the homeowner’s roof.

After examining the roof they report that repairs are needed, and they ask the homeowner to sign a document. The unscrupulous roofer says the document will inform the homeowner’s insurance carrier about the situation, but it is actually a binding legal contract for costly repair work.

Consumers should always be extremely wary of construction and repair firms that contact them, or companies that go door-to-door for customers. If you are told that repairs are needed, get a second opinion and ask for estimates in writing. Always read paperwork carefully and ask questions before you sign. If you don’t understand it, or if the situation seems suspicious, don’t sign anything.

Finally, the person who comes to your door selling services is supposed to tell you that you have three days to change your mind and cancel the contract in writing. They often “forget” to inform you of your three-day right to cancel. But that law can still provide a helpful remedy against a spur-of-the-moment decision that you quickly come to regret.