The Arizona Attorney General’s Office is urging Valley residents to be cautious of scams related to last week’s storms.

From door-to-door contractor to charity fraud, the office says residents should be on guard for any potential scams.

“Natural disasters can bring out the best in our neighbors — but unfortunately, they also attract bad actors looking to take advantage of people when they are most vulnerable,” said Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes in a press release.

Among the biggest challenges, according to the AG’s office, are what they called “unscrupulous contractors” who go door-to-door for roof repair, tree removal or other services.

The office recommends several steps consumers should take to verify contractors:

• Get several estimates.
• Seek referrals from friends and family.
• Talk about any storm damage repairs with your insurance company.
• Verify a contractor’s licenses. Visit https://roc.az.gov/ to confirm a license is valid and to check for any complaints filed against the contractor.
• Get everything in writing.
• Never pay in full up front.

Charity frauds also spring up around weather events and natural disasters. Scammers may use names that sound similar to well-known charities or create fake websites and social media appeals. To protect yourself:

• Give to known, trusted charities.
• Research the organization before giving.
• Be wary of high-pressure tactics, vague claims about how donations will be used, or requests for unusual payment methods like gift cards or cryptocurrency.
• Confirm legitimacy of crowdfunding campaigns.

If you believe you have been the victim of consumer fraud, you can file a consumer complaint by visiting www.azag.gov/consumer. If you need a complaint form sent to you, contact the Attorney General’s Office in Phoenix at 602-542-5763, in Tucson at 520-628-6648, or outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas at 800-352-8431.

If you believe you have been scammed by a contractor or a contractor fails to complete the job, you can also file a complaint with the ROC at https://roc.az.gov/file-complaint.

Scams can also be reported to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov or the Better Business Bureaus’ Scam Tracker.