Scam Alert: Waltham Police Warn About Fake Home Maintenance Crew

WALTHAM, MA — Several residents have fallen victim to a house maintenance scam from people who seem like they know what they're doing. "[But] they’re out to rob you blind," Waltham Police said. Now police are warning residents not to fall for it.

A group of men, reportedly with Irish accents, have been knocking on doors around town offering residents services to work on their home, from chimney work to roofing. Police said the way the scam works is this: The worker will promise to cut you a deal on work around your home, then jack up the price once work gets started. They then demand cash up front for the work.

John Paquette who lives on College Farm Road said he was home Friday when a man with an Irish accent and a business card from " Homecare Maintenance" knocked on his door and offered to fix his chimney, which Paquette had been putting off for a while.

"I thought, oh good, I can get this out of the way," Paquette told Patch. He seemed nice, and quoted Paquette $1,300 to fix the masonry. After a bit, he came back and told Paquette the brick work might also need more work, which would run around $1,700.

Paquette, who was Googling chimney repair and what might need work up there, thought this seemed reasonable and agreed to run to an ATM to give the crew a deposit for the work. When he questioned the price of the deposit, the men chided him, he said.

"Maybe you don't know how contracting works," he said they told him. "I don't hire contractors often, so he went along. He ended up giving them a $700 deposit.

The came back Saturday and the prices continued to rise, as the workers found new things to do with the chimney, including replace the flu liner. When they asked for $4,000 that day for materials, Paquette pushed back and offered to pay with a check or with Paypal, but they insisted on cash up front. He went to the bank and took money from the ATM, from his checking account and a credit card advance.

They quoted him for work he needed done on his gutters, too and told him they'd be back Monday to finish that up. In the end they drove away with a little more than $4,000 of Paquette's money.

When he went up to the roof to see what they'd done - nothing - Paquette was angry and planned to complain to their supervisors.

"I still didn't realize they were scammers," he said. He called the number on the business card, but there was no answer. He emailed, but got no response. He had plans to wear a camera Monday when they came back. And he was gearing up for an argument about shoddy work.

Only, they didn't come back.

He contacted police and filed a report.

"Now I know what I've done wrong. I made some big mistakes," he said. "I'm really sad and I'm embarrassed, but I've learned an important - expensive lesson."

It's one he hopes neighbors and others will learn from.

In hindsight he said, he should have checked the reviews of the company online before allowing them to work.

"Any time you're getting into anything over $500 someone has to have a web presence, and if they're a contractor you can ask to see their license, and ask if they have liability insurance," he said in a phone interview. "But the main thing: Do not go with anybody that you don't know or can't find out about."

Police released footage of one of the men they believe are behind the scam. They have Irish accents, and are driving newer model Ford pickups, one black, one silver (ME REG 5449XH). They’re using company names like Shamrock Home Maintenance, ALU-Pro and Home Property Maintenance Care, according to police.

Police warn residents to remember the bottom line is if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Police recommend not letting anyone talk you into something you don't think feels quite right.

"And never, NEVER pay anyone who insists you pay only in cash," police said.

If you believe you've fallen victim to this scam or a similar one, police recommend you give them a call at: 781-314-3600

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).