With the spring weather arriving, you might be thinking about some improvements to make around the house.
However, Massachusetts State Police are warning people to keep an eye out for a sophisticated group of traveling contractors, often with ties to Ireland and the United Kingdom.
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The transnational scheme is something the NBC10 Investigators have been tracking for the past year as incidents have exploded around the Commonwealth.
“Massachusetts residents are urged to take precautions from becoming a victim,” read a post Massachusetts State Police published on the agency’s Facebook page.
According to the post, the scam can often start with old school tactics like showing up to a home unsolicited to ask about any repairs that need to be completed.
But as we’ve reported, it’s getting more difficult for consumers to spot red flags because the transnational conmen are upping their game with fake companies, fake web sites and fake reviews.
Homeowners have told us the traveling contractors are extremely charming and sound knowledgeable about masonry and construction work.
Once people agree to have work performed, the scammers keep finding more problems that supposedly need to be fixed.
Before long, a simple roof or driveway job has snowballed into tens of thousands of dollars in repairs.
In some cases, victims are left with more damage to their homes than before work began.
“It’s devastating because I’m a single mom,” a Millbury homeowner told us. “I just went through breast cancer. I’m just trying to pick up the pieces and they scam me out of $20,000. That’s a lot of money for me.”
We even found an example where the conmen took things to the next level: impersonating a real structural engineer—complete with a fabricated report on company letterhead—to make a recommendation for expensive foundation repairs seem legitimate.
Among the things State Police recommend:
- Check with your town to see if the work on your home requires a permit
- Closely read the reviews. A slew of five-star posts in a short period of time can be a sign they’re likely fake
- Make sure the company is registered as a home improvement contractor. That way, if something goes wrong, you’re eligible to recoup up to $10,000 in losses from a state fund
Some victims we spoke with never filed a police report because they did not realize they were part of a larger scam.
Law enforcement told us that’s essential so they can connect the dots and track the stolen money before it’s laundered overseas.
