The official start of spring is just a few days away and with its arrival come spring scam artists.

Shelby police Sgt. Kevin Bailey said residents should beware of people coming door-to-door offering to prune trees or do other yard or home improvement work.

“We only had one incident with the tree trimming scammers this year, which is a good thing, but we want residents to be aware and to take precautions,” said Bailey.

According to Bailey, a person knocked on the door of a Shelby Township resident offering to trim trees in the backyard. The person masquerading as a tree trimmer had his face covered and did not have a business card to give the resident, nor was there a company name on his vehicle.

“The first person lured the homeowner into the backyard where they were to discuss work that needed to be done, and a second person who had been hiding in the shadows entered the home and started going through personal property and looking for valuables to steal,” said Bailey.

Bailey said anyone who is going door-to-door in Shelby Township representing a company has to have some kind of identification from the township saying they are allowed to do so. Residents can also call the non-emergency police number, 586-731-2121, and find out if a company is registered to go door-to-door in Shelby Township.

“Residents should also look for a business name on the vehicle and ask for a business card or something that says the name of the business they represent,” said Bailey. “I am always leery of someone who just shows up at my house; if you didn’t call a company to specifically come and do work, why are they showing up?”

He recommends getting the information from them, then arranging to call them back at another time rather than letting them into the home or yard on the spot. That gives the resident an opportunity to check to see if the company is legitimate.

“Do your own research,” Bailey said. “Ask friends and family who they have worked with and check references or call the Better Business Bureau.

“There are so many scams, people have to be on their toes.”

Bailey has a series of “Coffee with Kevin” videos posted on the Shelby Township Police Department website that talk about various scams.

“It is kinda cheesy, but we try to give good information on how to stay safe and avoid scams,” Bailey said.

Visit shelbytownshippolice.org for more information.