Recently, an older couple here in Medford, whom we will call Mr. and Mrs. Smith, was scammed by someone purporting to be a bricklayer, or mason.
The individual came to their door, stated that he noticed the couple needed some external repairs, and offered to do the work “at a discount.” He showed them his driver’s license, told a story of personal setbacks and a suffering family at home and offered to complete the work “after church” on Sundays.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith gave the man $1,300 as a down payment on the work; later they would give him $1,000 more. When the work was barely started, the worker’s alleged wife began calling the couple with one excuse after another as to why the repairs were being delayed.
Eventually, she stopped calling.
Later, after reporting the scam to the police, our couple discovered the worker was serving time in jail on an unrelated charge.
Where did the Smiths go wrong? First and foremost, they should not have hired anyone off the street. There have been a number of scams involving siding, fencing, paving and the like, which began with the scammer ringing the potential victim’s doorbell.
Second, they should have hired a reputable company, one that they had checked out with the Attorney General’s Office or the Better Business Bureau.
Third, they should not have made any payments until a contract was in place, which included the necessary permits being pulled to complete the work, a copy of the contractor’s license in his field and a copy of the company’s insurance coverage.
The Smiths had the good sense to report the scam to both the police and the Council on Aging, perhaps saving others from a similar experience. However, there is little chance that they will see their money again!
