The FTC’s plain-language guide to spotting a home repair scam

The best defense against a repair scam isn’t spotting the con artist — it’s knowing the work before you agree to it.

The Federal Trade Commission’s consumer-advice page on home repair scams is a tight, plain-language primer: insist on a written estimate and scope, verify the technician is licensed and insured, and treat demands for full payment up front as a warning sign. It’s built to be passed along to family and neighbors who are most likely to be targeted.

That checklist works best when you already understand the problem. OwnWise gives you that footing — the probable cause, whether it’s a DIY fix or a pro job, and a fair-price range — so a written estimate becomes something you can actually verify instead of simply trust.