MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- The state attorney general's office on Monday was one of several state agencies issuing alerts about scammers eager to prey on victims affected by Friday's deadly tornado.

Related: Tornado Scam Alert Issued (pdf) | Video: Scammers Prey On Tornado Victims, State Says | Video: People Question Adequate Storm Insurance

The public can go online to see if your contractor is licensed with the state, which is a good practice even if a resident was not affect by storm damage.

Residents who are looking for a reliable contractor should contact the Board for Licensing Contractors at 1-800-544-7693 or go online to http://www.state.tn.us/commerce/boards/contractors/index.html to confirm whether the contractor is licensed with the State of Tennessee.

The Attorney General's Web site at http://www.attorneygeneral.state.tn.us/cpro/disaster.htm offers important information related to common disaster-related consumer fraud issues such as home repair, price gouging, charity fraud and flood damage.

Another good resource for consumers is the Division of Consumer Affairs Web site at http://www.state.tn.us/consumer. This Web site features a Buyer Beware list, which includes problem contractors and others who have neglected their responsibility to respond to consumer complaints.

If a resident has insurance with a major insurance company, the response should be swift.

"You should always try to work with your insurance company really close to find out if the company that's promising the repairs is a reputable company," said Murfreesboro police spokesman Kyle Evans. "Above all else, never pay money up front. Let your insurance company handle that, and try to deal with local, reputable contractors."

In most cases, a person's homeowners insurance will protect the resident if there is wind or hail damage, but depending on your carrier there can be some exceptions.

Also, a Murfreesboro company is helping people whose photos and videos were damaged in the storm. For more information, contact Affinity Publishing Group at 849-9885.