Protecting yourself from Christmas light installation scams

Now is the time of year many people are decorating their homes for the holidays.

But if you are hiring someone to help out, officials said you should take extra measures to avoid being scammed.

Many people turn to websites like Craigslist to save money, according to officials. But often times if you hire someone from such a website, you will not be able to get a background check or find official reviews of their work.

Law enforcement officials said you should be wary of bringing unfamiliar people to your home.

“If you don’t know who you’re bringing into your house, it could be potentially a burglar or even worse,” Detective Tom O’Sullivan with the Boone Co. Sheriff’s Department said.

The Mid-Missouri Better Business Bureau said there are three things you should do to protect yourself against these less-formal arrangements.

First, ask for references.

“You should ask people for the work they’ve done in the past so that you can check it out,” Sean Spence with the BBB said. “You want to have them really explain to you what they’re gonna do.”

Second, do not pay the whole cost up-front.

“You’re going to want to pay when the job is done or in pieces as the job gets done,” Spence said.

If you are going to pay for these services with a card, use a credit card instead of a debit card, Spence said. Credit cards have greater protections and it will be easier for you to get your money back.

And third, make sure you will not be held liable for injuries.

“You need to ask yourself what are you going to do to provide protections in case someone is injured on your property,” Spence said.