BATON ROUGE - The Attorney General's Office warned residents of the Capital Area of several active door-to-door scams that con artists are using to scam homeowners out of their money.

The AG's Office says if someone shows up at your door offering a service or product at a price that is too good to be true, it probably is. You've more than likely just been the target of a scam.

"Scam artists often go door-to-door trying to separate consumers from their hard-earned money. Often they are the smoothest operators around, which means they've effectively ruined it for legitimate salespeople," said Attorney General Caldwell.  "The key is being able to spot and stop door-to-door scam artists in their tracks."

Attorney General Caldwell went on to advise consumers to keep an eye for the following common forms of fraud that reports indicate have been happening in the area.

Home Repair Scams
Caldwell says this scheme involved handyman who offers to clean your yard or fix your driveway, for an exceptionally low cost, claiming he and his partner want to get rid of material leftover from a job they just finished down the street. The crook then takes the cash payment upfront and disappears forever. 

"Free" Energy Audits
According to the AG's Office, this particular scam revolves around a couple claiming to be from your utility company showing up on your doorstep unannounced. They say they are there to conduct a free inspection to estimate how much energy your home wastes. Once let inside, one of the cons distracts the victim while the second scoops up whatever valuables he or she can get their hands on. Unless you've requested an energy audit, assume you've been the target of a scam.

Survey Scam
With elections approaching, it will be more and more common to see pollsters going from door-to-door to conduct surveys. The AG's Office warns that these may sound plausible, causing the victim to let them in, but the survey can easily be a trick. These scammers collect personal information from hapless homeowners in order to steal their identity. These sneaky surveyors may also be casing the interior of your home to determine if it is worthwhile to come back and steal your valuables while you are away.

Home Security System Scam
Caldwell says yet another common scheme used by unscrupulous door-to-door sales agents is an alarm system and monitoring services pitch. He says to look out for high-pressure, limited-time offers that demand you act now. These cons may even try to get you to sign a contact by telling you the equipment is "free". Expect strings to be attached and avoid signing any long-term or expensive monitoring contract.