Now that warmer weather is right around the corner, senior citizens and the most vulnerable of Suffolk County must be on high alert for contractor and construction scams.
This comes on the heels of the Suffolk County Police Department placing a contractor under arrest, accused of conning people by pocketing their cash and never getting any work done.
Law enforcement charged Olger Conce Guambana with a laundry list of crimes related to fraud, including Scheme to Defraud 1st Degree, a felony, four counts of Grand Larceny 3rd Degree, a felony, and Issuing a Bad Check, a misdemeanor.
According to police, Guambana ripped off a total of four people, including a 75-year-old woman who called the cops, which kicked off the investigation.
The elderly woman told police Guambana never finished construction work he was paid to do, used a bad check to issue a partial refund, and was never heard from again.
Suffolk County Police then expanded their investigation into Guambana, who police said ripped off three others for a combined amount of more than $30,000.
To protect seniors across Suffolk County from becoming the victim of unscrupulous scam artists, the South Shore Press pulled together some important helpful hints from the New York State Attorney General’s Office, along with “Elder Options Aging Resources,” to stop fraud in its tracks.
Never, ever pay more than ten-percent of a contract up front as a down payment. This minimizes your loss in case a contractor takes off without work being done.
Ask for proof of insurance. It is recommended that you do not hire a contractor that does not provide proof of insurance. If not, you might be on the hook shelling out big bucks if that person gets hurt on the job.
Beware of contractors who show up at your home, without an appointment, and claim they can quickly fix your roof or make minor repairs. Some drive trucks with ladders around neighborhoods, looking to prey on unsuspecting seniors.
If someone like this shows up, be more aware of vehicles with out of state license plates. Retrieve and write down their license plate number, since many scam artists travel from state to state pulling off scams.
Verify a contractor’s name, address, phone number, and company information before signing a contract for work.
Never, ever hand over cash before work is started.
Check with Suffolk County government, since all home improvement contractors are required to be licensed with the county.
State law also requires a written contract if construction work exceeds $500.
Do not allow a contractor to obtain a loan or financing for any work. This could be a scam where exorbitant interest rates are charged and seniors are on the hook footing the bill.
Stagger your payments to the contractor based on whether or not they’re getting work done.
As for Guambana, police need your help to determine whether or not there are more victims out there that they may not be aware of.
Law enforcement said Conce Guambana, who also uses the name Eddie or Ed, has used several company names in the past few years, including Dlugos Construction, R.O.J. Remodeling & Construction Corp., O.C. Remodeling & Construction Corp., USA Painting & Contracting, and Edwards Finishing Carpentry LLC.
Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Conce Guambana is asked to contact the Sixth Squad at 631.854.8652.