Roof and chimney repair crews knocking on doors
A contractor says they were working nearby, spotted damage on your roof or chimney, and can fix it cheaply today. Then the real quote arrives.
How it works
Durham police issued a warning in August 2026 after a run of these across the region. The pitch is always unsolicited: someone at the door claims to be doing a job on your street and noticed loose flashing, a cracked chimney cap, or lifting shingles. They offer a quick, cheap repair on the spot. Once they are on the roof, police say, they cause damage that was not there before, then come down with a quote for thousands of dollars to fix it. A related July case in Clarington saw a homeowner pay 33,000 dollars for landscaping and repairs that were never done, by a man already under court conditions not to take payment before finishing work.
What to do
- Do not let anyone onto your roof who came to your door uninvited, no matter how convincing the damage sounds.
- If you are worried about the roof, get an independent inspection from a licensed roofer you found yourself, and get more than one quote.
- Never pay a large deposit or cash up front. Real companies give written quotes and time to think.
- If a crew has already done this to you, report it to Durham police at 905-579-1520.
- If you tapped the link, entered details or paid: here is exactly what to do next, step by step.
- If this one also reached you by text, forward that text to 7726 (SPAM). How to do that on iPhone and Android.
- Got a different message? Run it through our one-minute checker.
Sources
If this has already happened to you, our scam recovery visit can lock down your accounts and devices. And if you are just not sure whether something is a scam, asking us is always free.