'Storm chaser' scam artists pushing home repairs after bad weather

The Illinois Attorney General is warning that "storm chasers" are capitalizing on recent bad weather in Chicago and the northeastern part of the state by trying to scam homeowners into costly repairs.

Storm chasers look for consumers in desperate need of home repair and pressure them into making quick and ultimately expensive decisions, the AG's office said in a statement.

The Nebraska Better Business Bureau echoed the warning. An Omaha-based company hired what they thought was a local roofing repair company to fix a roof leak. For $2,500, the leak was repaired with liquid rubber, which broke down into black gunk and didn't fix the leak. The company used a fake Omaha address.

The Federal Trade Commission notes these warning signs of a potentially scheming contractor:

• accepts payment by cash only.

• pressures consumers into quick decisions.

• makes lengthy guarantees for work.

• requires full payment upfront.

Consumers can check for past complaints through their local Better Business Bureau.