Quick answer: Report a roofing scam to your state’s contractor licensing board, your state attorney general, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) at 1-800-TEL-NICB (1-800-835-6422). If the scammer filed a fraudulent insurance claim, notify your insurance company immediately. In most states, you have 3 business days to cancel a home improvement contract signed at your door.
Storm chaser contractors swarm neighborhoods after hail, tornadoes, and hurricanes, using high-pressure tactics to get homeowners to sign contracts before they can get independent estimates. Many are unlicensed, do substandard work, collect insurance money and vanish, or file inflated claims for damage that doesn’t exist. Roofing fraud costs insurers billions annually — and homeowners pay through higher premiums and damaged homes.
Types of Roofing Scams
Storm chasers arrive unsolicited after a storm and pressure you to sign a contract on the spot, sometimes claiming damage you can’t see. Insurance assignment scams involve contractors having you sign an Assignment of Benefits (AOB) — transferring your insurance claim rights to them — which lets them inflate claims without your knowledge. Take-the-money-and-run scammers collect a large deposit or insurance payout, do little or no work, and disappear. Inflated or fabricated damage claims — filing for damage that either doesn’t exist or was pre-existing — constitute insurance fraud. Unlicensed roofers performing work without permits can leave you liable for code violations and void your homeowner’s insurance.
Where to Report a Roofing Scam
📄 Download Free Reporting Checklist
Get our step-by-step checklist as a quick reference guide
Get Your Free Checklist →| Situation | Agency | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Unlicensed contractor / poor work | State contractor licensing board | Search “[your state] contractor license complaint” |
| Insurance fraud / inflated claims | NICB | 1-800-835-6422 | nicb.org |
| Deceptive sales practices | State Attorney General | Search “[your state] attorney general consumer complaint” |
| Your own insurer (AOB or inflated claim) | Your insurance company | Call the claims number on your policy |
| General consumer fraud | FTC | ReportFraud.ftc.gov |
| Public complaint record | Better Business Bureau | bbb.org |
How to Report a Roofing Scam Step by Step
- Cancel the contract within 3 business days if you just signed. Federal law (FTC Cooling-Off Rule) and most state laws give you 3 business days to cancel a contract signed at your home. Do this in writing via certified mail. Keep your copy and the return receipt.
- Contact your insurance company immediately. If a contractor had you sign an Assignment of Benefits or has already contacted your insurer, notify your insurance company that you did not authorize them to handle your claim independently. You have the right to manage your own claim.
- Document everything. Photograph all damage (before any work begins), photograph any work performed, and keep all contracts, receipts, business cards, and written estimates. Note the contractor’s license plate number and truck information.
- Verify the contractor’s license. Look up their license number with your state’s contractor licensing board. Operating without a license is illegal and separately reportable. Never allow work to begin from an unlicensed contractor.
- File with your state licensing board. This is your primary recourse for contractor fraud and poor workmanship. Boards can revoke licenses, issue fines, and require contractors to make repairs or provide refunds through recovery funds available in many states.
- Report insurance fraud to the NICB. Call 1-800-835-6422 or submit at nicb.org. The NICB works directly with insurance companies and law enforcement on roofing fraud cases.
- File with your state attorney general. High-pressure sales tactics, deceptive contracts, and taking money without performing work are consumer protection violations. Many state AGs have task forces specifically targeting post-disaster contractor fraud.
- File a police report for theft or fraud. If a contractor took a large deposit and performed no work or vanished, file a criminal complaint. This is theft or fraud, not just a civil dispute.
Your 3-Day Right to Cancel
Federal Cooling-Off Rule: You have 3 business days to cancel any contract over $25 signed at your home. The contractor must give you a written notice of this right — if they didn’t, the cancellation period may be extended.
State law may give more time: Some states extend this to 5–10 days for home improvement contracts. Check your state’s specific law.
How to cancel: Send written cancellation by certified mail to the address in the contract. Keep the receipt. Do not rely on a phone call alone.
Penalties for Roofing Fraud
Insurance fraud: A felony in all 50 states, with penalties up to 5–10 years imprisonment and fines up to $150,000 depending on the amount.
Contractor licensing violations: Fines up to $10,000 per violation and license revocation. Unlicensed work can also trigger stop-work orders and required remediation.
State contractor recovery funds: Many states maintain recovery funds specifically to compensate homeowners defrauded by licensed contractors — file with your licensing board to access these.
Frequently Asked Questions
For related guides see: How to Report an Unlicensed Contractor, How to Report a Bad Contractor, How to Report Insurance Fraud.
Independent resource — not affiliated with any U.S. government agency. Last reviewed: June 2026.
This guide is a supporting article in our pillar resource covering all consumer fraud types, every federal agency, and all 50 state contacts.
How to Report Consumer Fraud: Complete U.S. Guide →Rules and complaint offices vary by state. Use our state lookup to find the correct reporting agency, phone number, and complaint portal.
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