NEWPORT — Chief Travis Bingham reports that the Newport Police Department charged an Irasburg man with Home Improvement Fraud on Tuesday.
SHAYNE BERGERON, AGE 37, OF IRASBURG, is being charged with:
- Home Improvement Fraud
On Aug. 21, Newport Police were contacted by a Racetrack Road homeowner who reported paying BERGERON and his company — Rock Solid Landscaping — an advance of $7,000 toward work on a stone wall in September 2021.
BERGERON later requested an additional $3,000 for materials, which the homeowner paid, but a stone wall was never completed. BERGERON also failed to refund the homeowner when the homeowner requested it.
BERGERON is scheduled to appear in Orleans Criminal Court on Oct. 24.
“This individual has also been charged with home improvement fraud in several other communities in this area,” said Chief Bingham. “Homeowners work hard to afford improvements to their property, and they deserve trustworthy contractors who will actually complete the work that homeowners pay for.”
Chief Bingham and the Newport Police Department share the following tips from the Federal Trade Commission:
- Consider only contractors who are licensed and insured.
- Ask the contractor for proof of insurance.
- Get contractor recommendations from people you know and trust.
- Search online for the company’s name with words like “scam,” “review,” or “complaint.”
- Read customer reviews to find out more about the contractor and use online rating websites you trust to see what others are saying about the contractor.
- Get multiple estimates. A written estimate should include a description of the work to be done, materials, completion date, and the price. Don’t automatically choose the lowest bidder. And ask for an explanation if there’s a big difference among the estimates.
- Don’t pay the full amount for the project up front.