Halton police are warning the public about an ongoing home repair fraud scheme.
The fraud involved contractors traveling door-to-door, performing cold call sales of services such as chimney or driveway repair and interlock stone work.
In the scheme, the “contractor” will provide a quote below market value for the work, and once a deal is reached with the victim, they will request a large cash payment. The “contractor” will then occasionally start the agreed-upon work, but it is often sub-par or incomplete.
The victim will then be asked for more money, either for supplies or for the completion of the project. The contractor will incomplete then “ghost” the consumer, or stop answering calls and texts, leaving the consumer with a damaged or home improvement project.
Several complaints have been made about this scheme within Halton. Police believe there may be more victims in the area, and perhaps in the rest of the GTA.
The suspects are described as middle-aged white men with Irish or possibly Scottish accents, wearing high visibility construction vests. The suspects are known to be aggressive salespeople, and will sometimes distribute business cards and pamphlets in addition to their door-to-door sales pitches.
Anyone with information about this series of scams is encouraged to contact Halton Regional Police.