As the summer months get warmer, door-to-door scams become more frequent, according to a press release from the DeKalb Police Department.

According to the release, one type of scam is known as home repair fraud, in which a suspect approaches the victim and offers repair work on whatever the victim will allow.

“The victim is often left with work that may require another professional company to come in and fix,” the release stated. “The suspect may also try and get more money from the victim, claiming that the work required more material than they had first estimated.”

Ross Hettel, senior computer science major, compared home repair fraudsters to auto mechanics.

“It’s similar to what mechanics do when you go in for a tune-up,” Hettel said. “‘Oh man, looks like your headlight fluid is low, we better replace that right now for you while your car is in the shop.’”

According to the release, another type of scam is called a home entry ruse. Often, the suspect will claim to be from the local water department. The suspect will distract the victim while another suspect enters the home and searches the house for valuables.

“They often leave without the victim knowing they have been victimized and had their personal possessions stolen,” the release stated.

DeKalb Police Detective Angel Reyes said suspects will use whatever excuse possible to gain entry to a home.

“We see the water excuse more frequently,” Reyes said. “If [an excuse is] not working, they will change it up.”

The release states the suspects often target the elderly who are alone in their homes.

“They’re not targeting the young or middle-aged,” Reyes said. “Typically they’re picking the seniors because they are the most easy demographic to manipulate.”

Reyes said one way for people to stay safe from these scams is to remove valuables from the home and put them in safety deposit boxes or leave them with family members.

“These people are specialists at finding what you’ve hidden,” Reyes said.