AP9 Privacy Matters Cautions Consumers About Home Improvement Fraud
AP9 Privacy Matters offers members tools and services that help protect your personal and private information
Norwalk, Conn. (PRWEB) June 4, 2006
While the warmer weather is thawing out most of the nation, property owners from coast to coast are also taking their wallets out of the deep freeze in hopes of completing some much needed home improvement projects. Many of the projects will take a good chunk out of the home repair budget this season, so AP9 Privacy Matters (http://www. privacymatters-program. com/), a leading security and privacy membership program offered by Adaptive Marketing LLC, provides consumers with a few tips on making sure they get what they pay for.
AP9 PrivacyMatters reports that billions of hard-earned dollars will be spent this year on home improvement projects, and of those dollars, thousands will go into the pockets of unscrupulous scammers posing as home-repair experts preying on unsuspecting citizens. Whether it is cleaning out the gutters or building a new retaining wall, consumers need to complete a thorough investigation before hiring someone for the job.
AP9 Privacy Matters (http://www. privacymatters-program. com/) provides these simple yet effective tips when searching for home improvement labor:
-- If the home improvement project is large and requires extensive plans, before making any phone calls, scope out the details of your project. Map out what you want to do and how you want to have it done. This will help you stay within your budget and keep the progress of the job in check once the contractor has begun working.
-- Do your research. Don’t talk to just one service provider. Make a list of a least three and ask for and contact at least two references. Ask your family, friends, neighbors or even your insurance agent if they could recommend someone who is reputable, fair and reliable. Be cautious about door-to-door home repair service providers – reputable workers usually use paid advertisements or word of mouth to acquire business.
-- Check licenses. A professional contractor should have a license to run his business and a certification of professional competence. These personal designations don’t always guarantee success on the job, but you can take comfort in knowing that a governmental institution has certified the contractor.
-- Do not pay for the work in full before it is complete and avoid paying a large upfront fee – work should be done to your specifications and liking before the final check is cut. You should also have some type of signed contract with the party you hire – even if it is a small project.
-- If you have only spoken on the phone with the person you hired, before letting anyone in your home, check their ID and the ID’s of the entire team. Make sure someone is home at all times when the work is being done and that personal and private information is tucked away in a safe place.
In addition to these home repair safety tips, members may log on to PrivacyMatters (http://www. privacymatters. com/) to access unlimited, online credit reports and receive credit monitoring alerts, which will come in handy if you are taking out a loan for your home repair projects this year and will help you keep track of your personal and private information. These benefits and many more are available through AP9 PrivacyMatters.
About AP9 PrivacyMatters
AP9 PrivacyMatters (http://www. privacymatters-program. com/) is a leading security and privacy membership program offered by Adaptive Marketing LLC (http://www. adaptivemarketing. com/). Headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., Adaptive Marketing is a category leader in both membership and loyalty programs, bringing value direct to consumers through an array of benefits in healthcare, discounts, security, personal property and personals. Members may access their benefits at PrivacyMatters. com. With broad online and offline distribution capabilities, Adaptive Marketing offers its corporate client partners effective tools to enhance market presence, strengthen customer affinity and generate additional value through programs such as AP9 PrivacyMatters.
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