Staff Reports

Unfortunately, especially for Morgan County’s senior citizens, the fall weather also brings out scam artists.
   

According to representatives of both the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office and the City of Madison Police Department, citizens are warned to be careful of home improvement offers that sound too good to be true.
   

Lt. David Lord, Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, said Monday that the office had received intelligence from metro Atlanta law enforcement offices that traveling crews of scam artists are currently working the Atlanta area.
   

Lord said Morgan County is likely the next stop.”It’s coming this way,” he said.
   

Det. Carl Jones, City of Madison Police Department, said an elderly woman this week on Hough Circle has already reported that a white male entered the woman’s home under the guise of measuring the home “for electrical work” and left with the woman’s wallet and cash.
   

That man, reports state, was driving a dark Ford Explorer.
   

Both Lord and Jones said scam artist particularly prey on elderly residents. Scams vary, but Lord said most revolve around home improvement offers, including pavement scams.
   

While ostensibly paving (or painting a driveway) Lord said criminals will find a way to enter the home and rob the victim. To add insult to injury, he says, the paving job will be substandard or non–existence.
     

“It’s a terrible job.”
   

Jones warns residents to request identification from alleged contractors and even if remotely in doubt, contact Morgan County Dispatch at 911 or call the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office at 706 342 1507 or the City of Madison Police Department at 706 342 1275.