POTTSTOWN — In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the Pottsotwn Building Industries Exchange (NARI-BIE), offers tips for homeowners affected by flood damage to avoid home repair scams.

According to NARI-BIE, con artists often show up at a homeowner’s door after a disaster, offering an array of services and demanding a hefty down payment up front. They might offer a “great deal,” based on using materials left over from a neighbor’s job, but homeowners should beware that a “great deal” isn’t always what it seems. Frequently, these fly-by-night operators drive vehicles with out-of-state license plates, or set up temporary offices from which they can move quickly once authorities start looking for them. Before writing that check, and especially before allowing any unknown individual into your home, NARI suggests that a homeowner:

• Get the name and address of the company that person allegedly represents.