ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- The Better Business Bureau is warning homeowners to be on the lookout for fly-by-night contractors after a local woman was recently scammed out of $1,000.



Experts say you should be cautious of anyone who just knocks on your door offering to do yard work, a roof or paint job.

Some people get taken advantage of when they allow a contractor, who showed up unannounced, to do work without a formal agreement.



"You can have a mess. You can have a bigger problem when it's done than it was before it started," said Dreama Jensen of the Better Business Bureau Northern Indiana.



You can avoid getting ripped off by doing a little research. Experts say to check online or in the phone book to make sure the business is legitimate.



"If you can't get anything on them, then you need to be a little cautious then. You get a report, it looks favorable, but you still want to know if they're insured are they bonded," said Jensen.



Homeowners can also check with the Better Business Bureau to verify the contractor is legitimate.



You can request a free report on the company that will tell you if the business has any previous complaints.



Not everyone who shows up unannounced is a scammer, but the BBB says it's often how a scammer will approach you.



They also say you should never pay before a job is complete.