During the past two years, Kansas has suffered loss of life and major destruction due to Mother Nature. Last year, Greensburg was devastated by a tornado and later the Southeast region of our state was damaged by severe flooding.
This year, Kansas has been hit with severe storms and dangerous tornadoes repeatedly. Manhattan was pummeled by softball sized hail two weeks ago and just last week hit by a tornado. Chapman was nearly destroyed by another tornado, while other small towns and rural areas faced damage as well.
These tragic events bring out the best of Kansans’ spirit. Regular people risk their lives to help strangers. Neighbors work together to clean up the devastation. And Kansas towns?against all odds?rebuild.
Unfortunately, these devastating events also bring out the worst in some people. I encourage Kansans to be wary as they begin the clean-up and rebuilding process following the recent severe weather.
The storms and destruction create an opportunity for con artists and scams. My office has visited Chapman and Manhattan and provided information about potential scams to storm survivors. We will be watching the situation very carefully during the rebuilding process. My office will do everything we can to protect consumers and prevent scams, like price gouging.
I encourage all Kansans to be careful when hiring help to assist with the clean-up and rebuilding process. If you believe a business is acting improperly or you have questions about possible scams, please contact my Consumer Protection Division at (800) 432-2310.
Once again, Kansans will roll up?their sleeves and rebuild?their communities. As we work together to recover from these storms, my office stands ready to prevent?criminals from further harming our already damaged communities.
