A SENIOR couple has lost thousands after being scammed during a home renovation.
The pair sought to get their roof redone through the help of a local contractor last spring.
An elderly couple has lost $33,000 in a home repair scam (stock image)[/caption]
Home Renovation Xperts and Roofing Xperts signed an agreement to complete the project for the couple’s Oregon residence in March 2024, per Portland CBS affiliate KOIN.
A $33,000 deposit was made by the homeowners soon after, with the work promised to be completed by the end of April.
Except, subsequent delays followed for months, with a new target date in August passing and no work completed.
The couple then sought the help of the police, claiming that Home Renovation Xperts and Roofing Xperts stopped answering their phone calls and never responded to several voicemails.
Detectives began an investigation and found bank records under the names of Erol Demetri Suliman and a business partner, Cassidy Pearl Mann.
TRACKED DOWN
They told KOIN that records showed the $33,000 deposit for the roof renovation was “funneled through Mann’s account and then transferred to Suliman.”
It was also discovered that the contractors had quickly left the state.
“Further investigation revealed that Suliman and Mann had relocated to Texas,” detectives explained.
“After a reported falling out between the two, Mann returned to Washington.”
Mann was arrested by law enforcement last month and told officers that Suliman was coming back to Oregon on July 7.
Port of Portland Police were waiting at the airport and took the contractor into custody.
Both Suliman and Mann have been charged with two counts of aggravated theft in the first degree and released, waiting to appear in front of a judge.
It’s unclear if the couple will get the funds back.
“They’re definitely a victim of a crime…so they’re struggling with that $33,000 loss,” Silverton police officer Sam Willits told the outlet.
Tips on spotting property scams
These five tips on avoiding real estate scams have been shared by The Bellamy Law Firm.
Fake Owners:
- This is where properties are listed for sale by scammers who do not own them.
- They may ask for a deposit to “hold” the property until you can view it to lure in prospective buyers.
- Be wary of people who ask for money upfront and before signing any documents ensure you ask to see the tax records and deeds.
Fake Real Estate Professionals:
- Scammers pretending to be real estate agents.
- Prospective buyers can check the Board of Realtors website for the individual and their real estate license to confirm their story.
Cash Offers:
- Warning phrases for this are: “We pay cash for homes” and “We buy ugly houses.”
- This often sees people sell their homes for much less than the going market value and those who are hard-up are often victims.
Predatory Lending:
- Some mortgage lenders may urge borrowers to repeatedly refinance their mortgages when it is not needed so they can get more cash on hand.
- It is also important to be suspicious of lenders who come to you before you have requested help.
Bait-and-Switch Moving Companies:
- This is where the moving company gives you an estimate for your belongings and then increases the cost when they arrive which pressurizes customers to accept the new offer.
- Another version of this is when movers pick up your belongings but hold them hostage and refuse to deliver them until more money has been paid.
- People moving homes should ask for a license number from the moving company and check for complaints with official companies like the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
- It is also worth shopping around by getting multiple quotes and holding off on paying until the move has been completed.
Source: The Bellamy Law Firm
“It’s an easy, easy way to get money that I’m sure that they have done this before.”
NOT ALONE
Home repair scams have become more common in recent years, with the Federal Trade Commission reporting that Americans are losing more money to fraud than ever.
In March, a 71-year-old woman lost $64,000 from her savings after another roof repair project.
Suspect Levy Aaron Lee and a co-conspirator in Texas tricked the woman into believing that her home needed fixing, telling her it was “unstable,” per CBS affiliate KYTX.
Lee allegedly jumped onto the roof to indicate it was weak and convinced the senior to pay four times the normal amount to “repair” the damage, according to documents obtained by the outlet.
This money came in the form of six checks and $14,000 in cash.
A county deputy who came to the woman’s home afterward said no repairs were made and the home was left sunk in and poorly covered with roofing tiles.
This was further confirmed by a third-party contractor.
Lee was charged with financial abuse of an elderly person and was booked into Smith County jail on a $350,000 bond.
Another American was recently tricked by a con artist to give him $50,000, and they can’t get the cash back.
A retiree was also left in a “deep pit” after $280,000 was stolen from them during a “protection” phone call.
