Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti told Knoxville-area residents to be wary of scammers after an earthquake affected the area.
Last week, East Tennessee saw a 4.2 magnitude earthquake.
After the event, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said it worked with “state, regional, and local partners to determine impacts and any needs.”
According to The Knoxville News Sentinel, the Knoxville Fire Department and Knoxville Police Department did not report any injuries or reports of damage.
Skrmetti, in his warning, said that “scammers find every opportunity to target vulnerable citizens, particularly the elderly.”
“If someone you don’t know tells you to spend money to repair property damage from the earthquake, be suspicious. Always be sure to thoroughly research contractors who offer to work on your home, get multiple quotes, and only hire reputable professionals,” the attorney general said. “You should be skeptical of anyone who puts pressure on you to spend money quickly. Taking your time is the best way to avoid being scammed.”
Skrmetti’s press release added that consumers retain the right to stop any door-to-door sales contract within three days of signing.
Tennesseans can report suspicious or fraudulent activity to the state’s Division of Consumer Affairs or call 615-741-4737.
This scammer alert is not the only warning Skrmetti has issued to Tennesseans this month.
Last week, the attorney general told Tennessee residents to be aware of phishing text scams regarding unpaid tolls and EZ Pass balances. These scams cost Tennesseans almost $200 million last year.
“These toll scam texts are really annoying. They’re also really fake,” Skrmetti said. “We appreciate the attention brought to this scam by our law enforcement partners and the media, and advise reporting and deleting these texts as soon as they arrive.”
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at [email protected].
