HomeAdvisor sent a Felon to my house and he tried to scam me. | FerrariChat

HomeAdvisor sent a Felon to my house and he tried to scam me.

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by kenneyd, Feb 14, 2018.

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  1. kenneyd

    kenneyd Formula 3
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    #1 kenneyd, Feb 14, 2018
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 4, 2023
    HomeAdvisor sent a Felon to my house and he tried to scam me.

    This is my story of an experience using HomeAdvisor's services and subsequently the convicted felon they sent to my house in florida. My hope is that readers will become aware of the both the danger of using Homeadvisor's so called "pre-screened" contractors, and to be able to protect their families from criminals who are attempting to scam you..

    I've hired many individuals and contractors over the years and have always done my due diligence to personally vet them. On a particular driveways job, I opted to use homeadvisor services in leu of personally vetting, since homeadvisor's services is to already do the work for you. . Homeadvisor literally makes claims to only offer "safe, vetted, local pros that have been background checked."
    I used their service and they sent a felon to my house. Apparently, the contractor used a stolen/false identity and false business address bypass homeadvisors "security checks". He is a convicted felon including grand theft, burglary, public drunkenness, scamming the elderly with a history including violence.

    We only found out since the contractor started doing several things that threw red flags. He asked when i'd be at work and then orchestrated the job on a day when I wasn't home, asked my wife for payment before the job was started (contrary to the contract), I decided to leave work and came home to find there was no asphalt paving equipment, they had just a tractor and essecially gave the apearance of starting work in order to get my wife to pay in advance. I asked when the roller/ paver machine were coming, and then they tried to leave, but i had them blocked in. I called the police and thats when they returned the money and left.
    I have had extensive contact with homeadvisor and they refuse to fix their security issues or any damage to my property and security. They admit the contractor used another identity to bypass their checks.
    Again, homeadvisor is NOT safe, ANYONE, any CROOK can register on their website if they use someone elses name. there is NO photo verification!

    I will never use them again and will only personally vet all future contractors
     
  2. spicedriver

    spicedriver F1 Rookie

    Feb 1, 2011
    3,859
    1. If the guy gave you your money back, then it's not a scam.
    2. There's 2 sides to every story. I don't think we're getting the other side.
    3. The government loves felony convictions. This is an easy was for them to remove 2A rights from the general public. If Joe was really a bad guy, he would still been in prison.

    Homeadvisor, Angie's List, Yelp, etc. are the real scammers. E.g. Yelp will remove bad reviews if you buy their ads. Sounds a lot like "extortion" to me. This is a useless "parasite" industry.

    It's best to do your own research on contractors. Google will pull up a list. Check them with the BBB, friends, neighbors, testimonials. Use credit cards for deposits. That way if you do get scammed, you can ask the bank to file a dispute, and reverse the charges.
     
    Mimmo Blue and lineaTesoro like this.
  3. energy88

    energy88 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 21, 2012
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    Joe and his fellow travelers probably headed to Alabama or Georgia after leaving your place. From your links and reading between the lines, it looks like they might have also been trying to case your place. Just keep your guard up and keep checking up on Joe with whatever the internet reports next.
     
  4. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
    14,244
    I'm sorry to hear that. They probably have your checking account number and routing number saved based on that check you gave him along with a copy of your signature. Just a heads up, but you probably thought of that.
     
  5. kenneyd

    kenneyd Formula 3
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    Yep, that was the first thing we did. Call my bank they put a alert on my account and we've changed everything over today. What a pain I must have had 30 accounts linked to our checking

    Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
     
  6. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
    14,244
    Nice. My mother has had shady contractors for home repair that take advantage of her like perform poor work or intentionally damage stuff (AC repair in particular). She's also in FL. As much as I want to support the small businesses and people like that, I told her to give it up and pay extra for the likes of Sears and she hasn't had any problems since.

    I'm not familiar of any major companies that perform the services you need, but she is having Lowe's repair the backyard fence running to the lake that was damaged by a hurricane in 2017. They required her to get permits and a lot of stuff, but better than some shady handyman doing the work. Maybe Lowe's or Home Depot could point you in the right direction for a major company if they can't do it.
     
    Texas Forever likes this.
  7. kevfla

    kevfla Formula 3

    Nov 20, 2003
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    gone 4 good
    But even then, going thru one of the big box stores or Sears is no guarantee. They all use subcontractors. Our local ABC affiliate ran a story this past week about shoddy roofing jobs by companies sourced thru Lowes. Aside from personal referrals, check each company's ratings from with local Better Business Bureaus.
     
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  8. fedcoin

    fedcoin Formula Junior
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    Mar 11, 2017
    311
    "I called Home Advisor" lol

    I used MyPillow.com to locate a pillow because their commercial always comes on right after Home Advisor's commercial. I called MyPillow.com to speak with a representive about how fluffy their pillows were....
     
  9. Patrick21x

    Patrick21x Karting

    Apr 11, 2014
    224
    Orange County
    What I see when reading OP story......

    Guy comes to do work, OP gives guy deposit, guy gives deposit back and leaves......

    Internet detective comes up with Scam story, wife and kids emotionally hurt all because some guy came to your house, took money, gave money back and left.

    Come on man, grow some balls, stop playing the victim of a victim-less crime and move on with your life. Instill some confidence into your family by not making a big deal out of something so small. And certainly dont instill fear into them for the rest of there lives by conjuring up some grand scam story when nothing was ever scammed or taken from you. Looks to me like your just setting your family up to be victims for their entire life. "Unsafe and Violated" really???? Sounds like a headline to yet another Bogus #metoo lawsuit. Its crap like this that has ruined the justice system. Famous words of a professional lawsuit artist "I felt violated". But Mam, they gave you a full refund. "Yeahhhhhh, but I FEEEEEL VIOLATED" Makes me sick. Again, instill some confidence into the family. The reason your wife is scared and feels violated is because you made her feel that way by overacting to someone giving you a full refund and not charging you for scraping your driveway. Your story is mostly speculative and has no hard facts. You do not even know if the guy you found on google is the same guy. I am sure if you Google almost anyone's name, there will be matches of felons.

    I would really like to hear Joes side of the story. I know I have packed up and walked away from sales when customers simply become to hard to work with or just plain rude. As example, I have walked away before when a price was agreed to, then once I started my work the customer starts in with low balling price after it was already agreed to. "Well my brothers sisters cousin says he can do this work for half price" OK great, have your brothers sister cousin do it then, Here is a full refund, I am leaving, take care. Looking back on this, I am glad that rude customer didn't go online and post some story on how I was a felon and scammed him.......

    I have also been in situations where I see Red Flags from consumers. You know the type, the ones who are looking for an angle or some way to rig the system and get something for free. Or those ones that are simply looking for the perfect opportunity for the ole slip and fall trick. Seems there are more people now days looking to get something from others without having to pay for it. I am not saying this is what happened. But I know there are many other reasons to give a customer a full refund and simply walk away. Sometimes its not worth the hassle to deal with some people. Just because I dont want to work with you does not make me a felon and scam artist.

    In my opinion, you should have taken your refund, and called someone else to come finish the work. I would also ask for a better price from the next guy since the previous one didnt even charge you for all the scraping and tractor work. Now thats less work the next guy has to do so it should cost less.

    Seriously, You could have totally turned any lemons into lemonade, but rather you decided to put all your energy and efforts into making yourself, your wife and your kids a victim of a victim less crime. Let this be a lesson, and think deeply on the emotional scaring you have put your Wife and kids through. Next time, leave the wife and kids out of it, put your big boy pants on, and move on with your life, hire the next guy and get your drive way completed without the drama.
     
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  10. kenneyd

    kenneyd Formula 3
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    #10 kenneyd, Feb 19, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2018
    The post I made here on ferrari chat was 90% copy paste of the letter I sent to home advisor.

    If you actually read most post, it is almost completely a complaint against the service home advisor. Screw Joe, he is long gone and my only concern is gone scamming others in my area. And no a didn't go cheap on him or change anything on the deal. Thanks for all your misplaced assumptions



    Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
     
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  11. kenneyd

    kenneyd Formula 3
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    Phone typo, gone = "him"
     
  12. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
    14,244
    I think there is more of a guarantee since a major corporation is the one that sent the person to your home...at least you would have an easier time getting things fixed/reimbursed by a large corporation in that case than a fly-by-night contractor. At least that has been the experience my mother has had. They didn't provide a list of people to choose from, but like you said sent someone they are contracted with.
     
  13. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Mar 31, 2006
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    Truth.
     
  14. norcal2

    norcal2 F1 Veteran

    Isnt there some kind of surety bonding involved here with these agencies? I do know there is with some state licensed contractors, I always check before I hire anyone if their bond is current with the state...at least you have recourse...
     
  15. Robert holmes

    Robert holmes Rookie

    Mar 19, 2019
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    Robert holmes
    They scammed me also and now go under divine
    asphalt paving and sealcoating

    4600 Touchton Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32246
    (904) 738-2450

    https://g.co/kgs/puVw2J
     
  16. Mimmo Blue

    Mimmo Blue Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2018
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    Lesson learned. If you want reputable contractors ask neighbours and friends or relatives who they used. I would never trust anyone I found on the net.
     
  17. kenneyd

    kenneyd Formula 3
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    The jacksonville BBB actually contacted me a few weeks back, they are putting a media and possible legal campaign against the Croughin's based on dozens of reports of scams. I'd advise you to contact Shannon with the Better Business Bureau at 904-721-2288, extension is 310.
     
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  18. MotorMouth

    MotorMouth Formula 3
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    Ive fixed my fair share of angies list hack jobs. Bbb is the same as the rest of these. Don’t be fooled into thinking they are the one real official reference. They’re not.
    No offense but it’s always the cheapest folks that get screwed by hiring bad contractors off of these sites. I’ve never heard of any scams. Just really bad work.
     
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  19. Etcetera

    Etcetera Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Dec 7, 2003
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    The number of bad repairs I have seen is astounding. It takes the same amount of work to complete a job the right way vs the wrong way. Why not do it correctly to begin with? People fail on simple things, too. I bought a new dishwasher and the guy didn't install it correctly. I visited my mother and walked in to find a worker looking through her meds drawer. I knew the owner and he was fired on the spot. The owner said the happiest day of his life was when he retired because he could never find good people.
     
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  20. MotorMouth

    MotorMouth Formula 3
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    In excavation it can be super fast to half ass things. Then there are people that just don’t know what they are doing.
    That must have been pretty awkward when you caught the pill guy.
     
  21. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Aug 10, 2002
    26,294
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    OP is a victim of crime. Guys tore up his property under the guise of repair and left. The next contractor will have a jaded opinion like you and charge the guy even more just to be safe because he too will be suspicious of the OP. Criminals are let out of jail all the time. WE let out 1000's so they would not get sick with cv19! What happened to protecting the public? Didn't our Governor say he is keeping a grip on lock down because it is his job to keep public safe? But lets criminals out of jail?
     
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  22. harmonmonic

    harmonmonic Rookie

    Sep 30, 2020
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    Thanks for sharing your experience. Be carefull
     
  23. PeterS

    PeterS Four Time F1 World Champ
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    I have had very good luck with Angies List in finding two solid contractors. On the back-end, they did an incredible amount of follow-up with me on every aspect of the job, the workers themselves, all the way down to how they were dressed and how courteous they were. They are not a cheap service for the contractors either. Be it from a referral service, the web or the yellow pages, its always 'Buyer Beware' and do your own homework.
     

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