Phony Contractor Scammed BurlCo Resident Out Of Thousands Of Dollars: Police

RIVERSIDE, NJ — A Burlington County resident paid nearly $10,000 for home repairs that never happened. Three people were charged with theft, including the fraudulent contractor's girlfriend and brother, police said Thursday.

A few weeks ago, a Riverside resident told police they paid a man to perform repairs and installation work. William E. Nelson, 35, of Philadelphia, claimed to be a private general contractor when the victim connected with him on the Nextdoor app, police said.

Over the course of several months, Nelson received $9,818 from the victim without performing any work, police said. During the investigation, Nelson tried several times to convince the victim to drop their criminal complaint, according to law enforcement.

Nelson's girlfriend, Melissa M. Slemmer, and his brother, Brett J. Nelson, also assisted in the scam, authorities said.

All three suspects were charged April 23 with third-degree theft by deception. William Nelson was also charged with third-degree witness tampering.

Attorney information for the suspects was unavailable in online court records as of Thursday morning.

Anyone who had similar experiences with the suspects or has additional information on them can contact Riverside Township police detectives at detectives@riversidepolicenj.org or 856-461-8820 ext. 114.

Riverside police shared the following tips for hiring a contractor:

• Verify contractor credentials: Always check if a contractor is licensed and insured.
  
• Get everything in writing: Ensure all agreements, including payment schedules and work details, are documented.
• Research the business: Confirm the contractor's business address and contact information.
• Report fraud: If you suspect fraud, contact your local consumer protection agency or the Better Business Bureau.