Replacing my parents stolen money.
Donation protected
I want this story to act as a warning as well as a fundraiser.
Scams always happen to someone else... or so we all think, until it happens to you or someone you know. I would like as many people as possible to know how it happened to us.
We have had to accept that my parents have lost over 20 grand to a scam, due to a leaking gutter.
I want to set this right. I can't do anything about the stress and worry of that time, but with your help I can fix my parents bank account.
And I want to warn all of your any anyone you know about how this can happen.
How it started:
Some men were called out to clean out and/or fix the gutter.
They said the the gutter was warped and needed replacing. As they were there already, my parents agreed.
The work needed payment up-front as the materials needed to be bought.
+£
The gutter was pulled down and then replaced the next day.
The following day, it was leaking somewhere else.
The men were called back to fix a job that had not been done correctly.
They said that the boards were rotten and needed replacing.
Of course, payment up-front for materials.
£+£
While replacing the gutter (in a working condition on the "rotten" boards) they mention that the roof is sagging and the boards need more work than expected, etc. Payment up-front.
££+££
This is "typical" cowboy builder behaviour, but not totally a scam. Or so it's seemed.
This is where the scam actually gets going.
The company boss starts calling to organise the work.
He's going to draw up a new agreement for all the work, in a new bill, and will refund all the money paid so far.
"But you must pay for the new bill... first"
££££+££
The money is paid, but the stress of all the money involved is getting to all of us.
My parents realise that the work is unnecessary and cancel the future work for the boards and roof. The gutter is fixed after all.
"That's fine, but you need to pay this new bill for the original work, and then we'll refund all of your money".
££££££ +£££(?)
What followed is days of;
"Pay the bill and we'll refund your money"
"We don't have any more money and can't pay the bill until you refund our money"
"Can't do that, pay the bill first and then we'll refund all your money"
"We can't pay the bill if you don't give us our money back"
"Pay the bill if you want your money back"...
We threatened to call the police and was told that we won't see our money if the police get involved because what they are doing is "perfectly legal".
The police are now looking into it.
But that money is long gone.
There was never any intention to refund anything.
It could have been worse.
Had they got to the roof, those bills would have escalated with more "materials" and "problems" and new agreements... all paid in advance with a promise of refunds later.
They could bleed someone of hundreds of thousands of pounds this way.
But my parents only had £25,500 to play with, and that was gone within a week.
Update (April):
We have now noticed that a hedge-trimmer and it's charger have gone missing from the garage.
So not content with just emptying my parents bank account they will also straight-up steal anything they fancy as well.
While the senior "workmen" went to get "materials" for the extra work, the youngest of the team stayed behind and was allowed to shelter in our garage from the weather. He even borrowed my Father's phone to "check up" on the rest of them, but what is apparent now is that he was likely reporting on the contents of our garage and what would be worth stealing.
Keep an eye out for the signs.
They will suck you in, little by little, until you’re in too deep to just cut your losses. You now “need” that refund. That’s what they prey on.
If they start holding your money hostage to you paying the bill, you should cut your losses and call the police. What you’ve paid has gone already. Paying more won't get it back.
DO NOT empty your savings account(s) to pay the extra.
DO NOT borrow money from friends or family members to pay the extra.
Whatever money you have given them is gone, and you may have even had other things stolen while you weren't looking.
I want your help to pay the "refund" that my parents won't get.
Not all of money, just the "refund" that didn't happen.
It won't take away the stress and lost sleep of that week.
But maybe it will restore our faith in humanity, and my parents won't have been so harshly punished for the mistake of trusting someone.
You may question the police investigation that is ongoing.
If, by some miracle, the police can recover our money then I will make sure that the money raised here will find it's way to someone else that has been affected by fraud/scams.
Scams always happen to someone else... or so we all think, until it happens to you or someone you know. I would like as many people as possible to know how it happened to us.
We have had to accept that my parents have lost over 20 grand to a scam, due to a leaking gutter.
I want to set this right. I can't do anything about the stress and worry of that time, but with your help I can fix my parents bank account.
And I want to warn all of your any anyone you know about how this can happen.
How it started:
Some men were called out to clean out and/or fix the gutter.
They said the the gutter was warped and needed replacing. As they were there already, my parents agreed.
The work needed payment up-front as the materials needed to be bought.
+£
The gutter was pulled down and then replaced the next day.
The following day, it was leaking somewhere else.
The men were called back to fix a job that had not been done correctly.
They said that the boards were rotten and needed replacing.
Of course, payment up-front for materials.
£+£
While replacing the gutter (in a working condition on the "rotten" boards) they mention that the roof is sagging and the boards need more work than expected, etc. Payment up-front.
££+££
This is "typical" cowboy builder behaviour, but not totally a scam. Or so it's seemed.
This is where the scam actually gets going.
The company boss starts calling to organise the work.
He's going to draw up a new agreement for all the work, in a new bill, and will refund all the money paid so far.
"But you must pay for the new bill... first"
££££+££
The money is paid, but the stress of all the money involved is getting to all of us.
My parents realise that the work is unnecessary and cancel the future work for the boards and roof. The gutter is fixed after all.
"That's fine, but you need to pay this new bill for the original work, and then we'll refund all of your money".
££££££ +£££(?)
What followed is days of;
"Pay the bill and we'll refund your money"
"We don't have any more money and can't pay the bill until you refund our money"
"Can't do that, pay the bill first and then we'll refund all your money"
"We can't pay the bill if you don't give us our money back"
"Pay the bill if you want your money back"...
We threatened to call the police and was told that we won't see our money if the police get involved because what they are doing is "perfectly legal".
The police are now looking into it.
But that money is long gone.
There was never any intention to refund anything.
It could have been worse.
Had they got to the roof, those bills would have escalated with more "materials" and "problems" and new agreements... all paid in advance with a promise of refunds later.
They could bleed someone of hundreds of thousands of pounds this way.
But my parents only had £25,500 to play with, and that was gone within a week.
Update (April):
We have now noticed that a hedge-trimmer and it's charger have gone missing from the garage.
So not content with just emptying my parents bank account they will also straight-up steal anything they fancy as well.
While the senior "workmen" went to get "materials" for the extra work, the youngest of the team stayed behind and was allowed to shelter in our garage from the weather. He even borrowed my Father's phone to "check up" on the rest of them, but what is apparent now is that he was likely reporting on the contents of our garage and what would be worth stealing.
Keep an eye out for the signs.
They will suck you in, little by little, until you’re in too deep to just cut your losses. You now “need” that refund. That’s what they prey on.
If they start holding your money hostage to you paying the bill, you should cut your losses and call the police. What you’ve paid has gone already. Paying more won't get it back.
DO NOT empty your savings account(s) to pay the extra.
DO NOT borrow money from friends or family members to pay the extra.
Whatever money you have given them is gone, and you may have even had other things stolen while you weren't looking.
I want your help to pay the "refund" that my parents won't get.
Not all of money, just the "refund" that didn't happen.
It won't take away the stress and lost sleep of that week.
But maybe it will restore our faith in humanity, and my parents won't have been so harshly punished for the mistake of trusting someone.
You may question the police investigation that is ongoing.
If, by some miracle, the police can recover our money then I will make sure that the money raised here will find it's way to someone else that has been affected by fraud/scams.
Organizer
Stephen Hammond
Organizer