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Palmyra police warn residents of possible fraudulent contractors

Posted at 9:14 PM, Mar 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-26 22:26:35-04
PALMYRA - Palmyra police are issuing a warning following complaints of contractors (without a permit) going door to door trying to fix hail damaged homes. 
 
“Starting the next morning, you could see the trucks just driving all around the neighborhoods," Lori Gennerman said. 
The neighborhoods she's referring to were hit hard by Thursday's hail storm. Gennerman said contractors wasted no time making their way to the area in an attempt to solicit work.  

“They came into my neighborhood, and my driveway, [and] knocked on my door," Gennerman said. 

"I said I wasn’t interested. I did have hail damage so, I called my insurance company and they specifically said don’t use somebody who just knocks on your day today," she continued. 
 
There’s good reason for that advice Gennerman was given by her insurance company. According to Palmyra police, the village ordinance prohibits door-to-door contractors from operating without a direct sellers’ permit.
 
“[The permit] allows us to identify who the people are, [and] ensure that their company isn’t involved in complaints in other areas for instance," Public Safety Director, James Small, said.  
 
"[And] that they don’t have significant criminal history," he continued. 
 
Small said his office continues to field calls of complaints from concerned residents. That's why as he works to actively remove these contractors from the community, he said he'll keep his village alert.
 
“While some of them may be good business people who will help them, and not rip them off," Small said. 
 
"There’s other ones that may very well be here solely for the purpose of trying to defraud them," he continued. 
 
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