ORLANDO, Fla. – Disasters such as Hurricane Harvey can bring out the best in people, but they also bring out the scam artists trying to cash in on disaster.
"In mass impacts like this, it's almost a free-for-all," said Rob Supertino with All American Water Restoration.
Supertino is not planning on traveling to Houston, but knows many of his colleagues will as people try to slowly rebuild their lives.
Supertino also knows there will be plenty of people heading that way who aren't the licensed contractors they might say they are.
"Homeowners will be taken advantage of," he said. "You will have people who have half their house torn apart without any clue what they're supposed to do. And that's going to be a thing that's going to happen."
That's why Supertino wants those recovering to be on the lookout for anything that isn't what it seems.
"Number one is look at licenses," Supertino said. "State of Florida does have a mold license regulation. So you have to have a state mold license if you're at that position."
He also suggests homeowners look for contractors with insurance, so they don't end up footing the bill if an accident occurs.
And it's not just those with homes in the area who have to keep an eye out.
People all across the country, including in Central Florida, should be skeptical about job openings that involve you traveling to Texas. Because as previous disasters have shown, those opportunities may be too good to be true.
"Go when you have a reputable organization and a specific job they had in mind for you to do, at a specific place for a specific purpose," said Bill Oakley, CEO of Goodwill Industries of Central Florida.
You can also donate money to help those victims from Hurricane Harvey by clicking here.