BATON ROUGE – Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry is warning residents of an increase in reports of door-to-door scams where someone shows up at their door offering a service or product for a very low price. 

There are several different scams being offered to residents, Landry says. They are as follows:

One of the scams is someone claiming to be a handyman offering to conduct minor repairs to a resident's home, to clean their yard or to repair a driveway. The scammer claims that he and his partner need to get rid of leftover material from a job they just completed before starting repairs. A cash payment is then taken upfront and the scammer never returns. 

Another scam includes a couple claiming to be with a resident's utility company. The couple shows up unannounced, saying they will conduct a free inspection to see how much energy the home wastes. Once they are inside, one person diverts the resident's attention while the other gathers valuables from the home. 

Residents may also encounter a person who claims to be doing a survey. Typically, residents have been inviting the person claiming to be a surveyor into their home and the person then collects personal information from them to steal their identity. The scammer also may try to steal possessions or think of ways to disable the home's security system. 

A separate scam includes sales agents pitching for homeowners to buy an alarm system and monitoring services with a limited time offer or high-pressure offer. They will try to get homeowners to sign a contract by stating the equipment is free, however a long-term expensive monitoring contract may be involved. 

Attorney General Landry is advising residents to be aware of these scams and is offering the following tips to avoid them:

- Do not let anyone come into your home unless they have a prescheduled appointment. You do not have to answer your doorbell. Call local law enforcement if you feel threatened or the person refuses to leave.

- Do not pay cash to anyone who comes to your home claiming to be with a utility company or other service provider.

- Confirm any special offers with your service provider, using the number on your bill or on their official website.

- Read the fine print before signing any contract. Get the terms and copy of the contract in writing.

For more information visit www.AGJeffLandry.com or call Landry's Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-351-4889.