During the spring and summer months, Pennsylvania plays host to transient criminals who travel great distances in search of victims for their various money-making scams, state police say. Some of the more prevalent scams perpetrated by transient criminals include:

• Home repair scams — Victims are approached through door-to-door solicitation and the suspects advise they have been working in the area and noticed the victim’s roof, driveway, barn, etc., are in need of repair or maintenance. The suspects say they have leftover material (paint, asphalt, etc.) from a previous job and can make the repairs for a very low price. Once the job is completed, the suspects provide a bill that is significantly higher than the original quotation and provide various reasons as to why the price changed. The materials used are typically inferior.

* Sweetheart Swindle — This scam is relatively common, and typically involves a young female who befriends an elderly male. The female weaves a story about having a sewing business and asks if the victim will invest in the company. After gaining money through this ruse, the next request often involves more money for expensive medical procedures for the female or a member of her family. This is a scam that has been known to last for days, months or even years.

• Home invasion thefts and burglaries — Transient criminals approach and distract a homeowner, luring them toward a particular room of the house with various ruses such as feigning illness, asking for a drink of water, etc. Often they will lure the potential victim outside the residence.

These criminals will also pose as legitimate repairmen from the local cable or power company or water department as well as home repair workers and will approach elderly homeowners in an effort to gain access into their house or get the victim out of the house. While distracting the homeowner, unseen accomplices enter the home and steal valuables such as jewelry, silver and cash.

Prevention tips

• Always lock your doors when doing yard work, getting mail or anytime you go outside — both front and back doors.

• Never allow strangers inside your home.

• Check with the utility company by telephone if an employee wants to enter your home or wants you to come outside. If you do not see any identification, ask for it, however, these criminal have become adept at making their own IDs and each individual’s identification should be verified with their respective company.

• Beware of unsolicited home repairmen. If you need the services of a home repairman, check with your municipality’s building officials or the Better Business Bureau to make sure they are legitimate. Verify that the contractor is properly licensed, bonded, and insured.

• Be suspicious of high pressure sales tactics.

• Pay by check so you can stop payment if dissatisfied Further, make sure the salesperson has provided you with the proper “notice of cancellation” form as required under the Federal Trade Commission’s “Three Day Cooling Off Rule” for contracts signed in the home. Under the Cooling-Off Rule, you have three days to cancel purchases made of $25 or more when the sale occurred in your home, workplace, dormitory or at facilities rented by the seller on a temporary or short-term basis.

• Be sure the work is completed to your satisfaction before you make final payment. Require a guarantee on the work.

• Never sign any contract or agreement without carefully checking it. Be sure you understand and agree to all provisions in a contract or agreement.