MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A Mid-South lady's dream of a peaceable retirement has was a nightmare.
Shayla Todd mentioned her 64-year-old mom was left homeless and misplaced almost $70,000 after she mentioned she was scammed by an unlicensed contractor. “A pair Christmases in the past I requested her what she wished for Christmas and she or he mentioned, 'I simply need my home,'” Todd mentioned.
It's the home Todd grew up in and was imagined to be his mom's dream home. However now, the property in La Grange, Tennessee, sits empty. “We had been at church along with her for Mom's Day,” Todd mentioned. “Often we may return to the home, however we are able to't as a result of it's uninhabitable.”
Todd says his mom employed a contractor who appeared respected to renovate the property in 2021. She signed a contract and paid a $67,500 deposit to start out the challenge.
The contractor started demolition inside in January 2022. After that, Todd mentioned it was almost inconceivable to find the person. “If I texted him, he didn't actually reply. He'd name me and say one thing, and he'd be like, 'Yeah, I imply, I'm going out subsequent week,' after which I'm like, okay. After which when the information comes subsequent week, he's not there. It was at all times like an excuse,” he mentioned.
Todd mentioned they contacted the state contractor board and had been advised the license the person offered was not his.
The board confirmed he’s not a licensed contractor.
Daniel Irwin with the Mid-South Higher Enterprise Bureau says all these scams have gotten extra frequent. “It’s a must to be sure you don't simply observe what they are saying. Double examine. Ensure they’re licensed. Even when they are saying they’re,” he mentioned. “Know that critiques might be pretend too.”
Now that his mom's retirement financial savings have been stripped, Todd says they wish to warn others in order that they don't make the identical mistake. “I simply don't wish to see anybody else undergo that,” he mentioned.
Todd says they solely noticed detrimental critiques concerning the contractor after they’d already given him the cash. “If individuals had been extra vocal about this and shared their story out loud, my mom may have prevented it.”
It’s also possible to examine with the Higher Enterprise Bureau.
If you want to assist Todd's household, please go to their GoFundMe web page right here.
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