Scammers target Arizona hail damage victims with false repairs

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 23 Oct, 05:02 · Archive

Criminals are targeting householders and drivers damaged by a hailstorm in the Phoenix Valley, posing as roofers and insurance adjusters.

A hailstorm struck the Phoenix Valley on Wednesday, damaging vehicles and buildings across the region. Some drivers suffered damage severe enough that they could not drive their vehicles and had to be towed to repair shops. Repair costs are substantial, and body shops report they received calls within the first hour of the storm hitting.

Damage is often more extensive than it initially appears. Keith McKay, general manager of Autobody Solutions Peoria, explained that when vehicles are examined under bright lighting and grids, additional damage becomes visible underneath initial dents and dings. Depending on the extent of damage and the availability of parts, repairs could take weeks, with some extreme cases estimated to take up to a month.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau is warning of a surge in scams targeting affected householders. Criminals are posing as roofers or insurance company representatives and door-knocking or calling households. They may ask people to sign blank documents as 'assignments of benefits', which unknowingly give up the householder's rights to adjust their insurance claim. Ray Johnson of Ray Johnson Insurance called these scammers 'storm chasers'. Doreen Sanchez, a supervisory special agent at the NICB, reported that bad actors sometimes advertise fake job postings online offering cash incentives for people who convince householders to sign documents.

How it is being reported

• Why the car damage from Phoenix’s hailstorm may be worse than it looksPhoenix-area drivers are facing shattered windshields, dented cars and potentially weeks-long repair waits after Wednesday’s hailstorm.KOLD · 23 Oct, 04:31
• Why the car damage from Phoenix’s hailstorm may be worse than it looksPhoenix-area drivers are facing shattered windshields, dented cars and potentially weeks-long repair waits after Wednesday’s hailstorm.Azfamily · 23 Oct, 04:31
• Beware of ‘bad actors’ after hail damage in ArizonaAfter damaging storms rolled through the Valley on Wednesday, repairs for some could run into the thousands.Azfamily · 23 Oct, 01:47

In this story: Phoenix Valley · National Insurance Crime Bureau · Ray Johnson Insurance · Autobody Solutions Peoria · Keith McKay · Ray Johnson · Doreen Sanchez

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