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Stoneham Police Warn Residents of Area Home Improvement Scams

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Stoneham Police Department
Chief James McIntyre
47 Central Street
Stoneham, MA 02180-2044

For Immediate Release

Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019

Media Contact: Jordan Mayblum
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Stoneham Police Warn Residents of Area Home Improvement Scams

STONEHAM — Chief James McIntyre and the Stoneham Police Department wish to warn residents of an area home improvement scam.

Victims of the home improvement scam have reported to several area police departments that the suspects request payment for their services upfront, and perform a small portion of the work before claiming that additional work to the home needs to be done, such as repointing a chimney or replacing shingles. The individuals continue to raise the price of their services as they claim additional projects need to be done, and when the homeowner eventually refuses to pay any more money, the suspects leave the property and do not return.

The suspects pose as legitimate contractors and reportedly have an Irish accent, but are allegedly not licensed and do not obtain permits to conduct the work.

Four Burlington residents reported being victimized by home improvement scams, and suspects allegedly did damage to the chimney of a Melrose resident’s home that will cost more than $1,200 to repair.

Most victims of the scams are elderly.

“While we haven’t had any reports of these suspects approaching Stoneham residents, we want to be proactive and warn our community of this scam that has targeted individuals in several nearby towns,” Chief McIntyre said. “We’re urging residents to be wary of anyone approaching you at home to perform unsolicited home improvement services. Always verify a business is legitimate, especially before paying for a service, and call the Stoneham Police Department if you think you may be dealing with a scam.”

The Stoneham Police Department wishes to share the following tips regarding home improvement contractor scams from the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation:

  • Scammers often approach potential victims for home improvement scams by phone, email or by traveling door-to-door, and may claim they’ve been performing work locally and have surplus material.
  • Scammers frequently offer their services at a very low price.
  • Check to make sure the contractor is registered with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation by using their home improvement contractor registration look up service. Request a business card or website address for the contractor’s business.
  • Be wary if the individual is driving an unmarked motor vehicle.
  • Request a copy of the company’s standard contract.
  • Learn where the company is based out of, whether they are a local business and verify a minimum of three references.
  • Inquire about whether the company will provide a warranty and how long that warranty will last.
  • Remain wary if a severe weather event has just occurred. Scammers often take severe weather storms as an opportunity to target potential victims for home improvement scams.
  • Never pay more than one-third the total cost of a service upfront, in cash, and only do so once you have verified that this person is a registered home improvement contractor and you have a contract.
  • The Better Business Bureau (BBB) can verify whether the company is a member, and the BBB, as well as the Office of the Attorney General, can also tell you if there have been complaints filed against the company.

Anyone who believes these suspects are in their neighborhood is encouraged to contact the Stoneham Police Department at 781-438-1215.

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Melrose Police Warn Residents Following Recent String of Home Improvement Scams

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Melrose Police Department
Michael L. Lyle, Chief
56 W. Foster St.
Melrose, MA 02176

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019

Media Contact: Kelsey Bode
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Melrose Police Warn Residents Following Recent String of Home Improvement Scams

MELROSE— Chief Michael Lyle and the Melrose Police Department wish to warn residents of ongoing home improvement scams in the area and provide tips to avoid being victimized.

Melrose police responded to a residence on Ridgewood Lane on Friday, Oct. 18, for a report of a scam and damaged property. Upon arriving, police learned that contractors who claimed to work for TC Roofing and Chimney Repair had approached a resident at her home, claiming her chimney needed repair. The men allegedly performed illegitimate contracting services and damaged the chimney. Fortunately, the resident did not pay the men for the faulty service.

It is estimated the damage the men allegedly did to the chimney will cost more than $1,200 to repair. Police are actively looking for male suspects in the area who claim to work for TC Roofing and Chimney Repair in order to further investigate and potentially charge them in connection with the incident.

Other victims of the scam in the area report that the suspects request payment for their services upfront, and perform a small portion of the work before claiming that additional work to the home needs to be done, such as repainting a chimney or replacing shingles. The individuals continue to raise the price of their services as they claim additional projects need to be done, and when the homeowner eventually refuses to pay any more money, the suspects leave the property and do not return.

Many of the victims are elderly.

The Melrose Police Department wishes to share the following tips regarding home improvement contractor scams from the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation:

  • Scammers often approach potential victims for home improvement scams by phone, email or by traveling door-to-door, and may claim they’ve been performing work locally and have surplus material.
  • Scammers frequently offer their services at a very low price.
  • Check to make sure the contractor is registered with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation by using their home improvement contractor registration look up service. Request a business card or website address for the contractor’s business.
  • Be wary if the individual is driving an unmarked motor vehicle.
  • Request a copy of the company’s standard contract.
  • Learn where the company is based out of, whether they are a local business and verify a minimum of three references.
  • Inquire about whether the company will provide a warranty and how long that warranty will last.
  • Remain wary if a severe weather event has just occurred. Scammers often take severe weather storms as an opportunity to target potential victims for home improvement scams.
  • Never pay more than one-third the total cost of a service upfront, in cash, and only do so once you have verified that this person is a registered home improvement contractor and you have a contract.
  • The Better Business Bureau (BBB) can verify whether the company is a member, and the BBB, as well as the Office of the Attorney General, can also tell you if there have been complaints filed against the company.

The Melrose Police Department is actively investigating these incidents. Anyone who believes these suspects are in their neighborhood or who has information about these incidents is encouraged to contact the Melrose Police Department at 781-665-1212.

 

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Burlington Police Warn Residents Following Recent String of Home Improvement Scams

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Burlington Police Department
Michael R. Kent
Chief of Police
45 Center Street
Burlington, MA 01803
www.bpd.org

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019

Media Contact: Kelsey Bode
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Burlington Police Warn Residents Following Recent String of Home Improvement Scams

BURLINGTON – Chief Michael Kent and the Burlington Police Department wish to warn residents of ongoing home improvement scams in the area and provide tips to avoid being victimized.

Residents in Burlington and surrounding towns have reported to police that they have been approached at their homes by men offering various home improvement services including gutter cleaning, roofing, driveway repair and sealing. The suspects pose as legitimate contractors and reportedly have an Irish accent, but are allegedly not licensed and do not obtain permits to conduct the work.

Victims of the scam report that the suspects request payment for their services upfront, and perform a small portion of the work before claiming that additional work to the home needs to be done, such as repointing a chimney or replacing shingles. The individuals continue to raise the price of their services as they claim additional projects need to be done, and when the homeowner eventually refuses to pay any more money, the suspects leave the property and do not return.

Four Burlington residents have reported being victimized by the scams. Many of the victims are elderly.

The Burlington Police Department wishes to share the following tips regarding home improvement contractor scams from the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation:

  • Scammers often approach potential victims for home improvement scams by phone, email or by traveling door-to-door, and may claim they’ve been performing work locally and have surplus material.
  • Scammers frequently offer their services at a very low price.
  • Check to make sure the contractor is registered with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation by using their home improvement contractor registration look up service. Request a business card or website address for the contractor’s business.
  • Be wary if the individual is driving an unmarked motor vehicle.
  • Request a copy of the company’s standard contract.
  • Learn where the company is based out of, whether they are a local business and verify a minimum of three references.
  • Inquire about whether the company will provide a warranty and how long that warranty will last.
  • Remain wary if a severe weather event has just occurred. Scammers often take severe weather storms as an opportunity to target potential victims for home improvement scams.
  • Never pay more than one-third the total cost of a service upfront, in cash, and only do so once you have verified that this person is a registered home improvement contractor and you have a contract.
  • The Better Business Bureau (BBB) can verify whether the company is a member, and the BBB, as well as the Office of the Attorney General, can also tell you if there have been complaints filed against the company.

The Burlington Police Department is actively investigating these incidents. Anyone who believes these suspects are in their neighborhood or who has information about these incidents is encouraged to contact the Burlington Police Department at 781-272-1212.

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Enfield Fire Rescue Warns Against Donation Scam

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Enfield Fire Rescue
District 1
Chief Edward N. Richards
200 Phoenix Ave.
Enfield, CT 06082

For Immediate Release

Friday, Aug. 16, 2019

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

 

Enfield Fire Rescue Warns Against Donation Scam

The Department is Not Currently Soliciting Monetary Donations

ENFIELD — Chief Edward Richards reports that residents should be aware of a scam involving an individual falsely claiming to be collecting donations on behalf of Enfield Fire Rescue.

Earlier today, a resident reported receiving a phone call from an unknown person who claimed to be an employee of Enfield Fire. The caller was seeking donations on behalf of Enfield Fire for between $35 and $100. The number the call came from was 860-776-0119.

Chief Richards would like residents to be aware that Enfield Fire is not currently soliciting monetary donations and any phone calls or emails asking for donations are a scam.

“Residents should disregard any calls from individuals claiming to be soliciting donations on behalf of our department,” Chief Richards said. “I applaud this resident for being suspicious of the caller, and for checking the validity of the call with our department.”

To avoid falling victim to telephone scams, Enfield Fire recommends that residents follow these tips outlined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC):

  • Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. Let them go to voicemail.
  • If you answer and the caller (often a recording) asks you to hit a button to stop receiving calls, hang up. Scammers often use these tricks to identify, and then target, live respondents.
  • If you receive a scam call, write down the number and file a complaint with the FTC.
  • Ask your phone service provider if it offers a robocall blocking service. You can also visit the FTC’s website for information and resources on available robocall blocking tools to help reduce unwanted calls.
  • Consider registering all of your telephone numbers in the National Do Not Call Registry. Access the registry online or by calling 1-888-382-1222.

These scams can also be reported to the FTC at 877-382-4357, as well as the Enfield Police Department at 860-763-6400.

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