Construction fraud prevention group visits Birmingham to help st

A national group created to fight construction fraud in the wake of natural disasters is coming to Birmingham this summer to help homeowners still cleaning up from several recent rounds of tornadoes.

The National Center for the Prevention of Home Improvement Fraud is working on the ground in hard-hit areas like Joplin, Missouri, and now here in Birmingham for most of the month of July.   

From July 5 through the 20, the group will have a fraud prevention center set up at city hall for anyone who needs help or has questions about how to hire the right contractor or prevent themselves from becoming a victim of fraud.

"There are a lot of hidden dangers that homeowners are not aware of when dealing with contractors," said Phae Howard, of the NCPHIF. "And they're making those discoveries after something happens. It is our intent to get to them before something happens so we can help them navigate the entire process."

The help and advice is free of charge and the group is hoping to host at least two workshops at area churches during their stay here.

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