Kingston, Ontario police are warning homeowners of a new roofing scam after a resident was recently tricked into paying thousands of dollars.
Two men knocked on a victim’s door downtown last week, according to police. They said they were employed roofers and informed the homeowner that the roof and chimney needed repairs. According to police, the victim was persuaded to pay a deposit of between five thousand and ten thousand dollars.
The next day, the suspects began tearing down the walls of the house, claiming more work was needed or the walls would collapse. When the victim tried to get out of the business and get the deposit back, the roofers disappeared.
“The [scam is] Obviously worrying about the damage that has been caused and once they get there and start working people are more apt to say ‘yes’ now that one of their walls is open. They don’t want to tell anyone to stop,” Const. Anthony Colangeli told Global News.
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The first suspect’s name was “Dave” and is described as in his late 20s, short, medium height and medium length, dark blonde hair. He also had a beard and mustache, wore a safety vest and spoke with an Australian accent.
The second suspect – who identified himself as “Steven Joyce” of Scotland – is described as in his late 30s, around 1.80 meters tall and of muscular build. He had medium-length, dark blonde hair and no facial hair.
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They drove a black Dodge Ram 4×4 pickup and said they worked for Fineline Roofing in Halifax.
Global News contacted this company. It turns out they don’t even work in Ontario.
“To confirm: We do not go to people’s homes without being asked. We only work in Nova Scotia. “We do not require cash deposit for any residential job,” owner Charlie Humber wrote in an email to Global News.
In light of the scam, Kingston Police are advising homeowners to do their own due diligence before hiring a contractor.
“Just be careful when speaking to these people and always check your references before hiring any company,” Const said. Colangeli says.
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https://globalnews.ca/news/9718586/kingston-police-warn-homeowners-roofing-scam/
