Brothers Jailed for Home Repair Scams: WHAT is the Scam and HOW to Protect Yourself

Having something broken in your home is stressful – be it electrical, roofing, or plumbing. But what’s worse is falling victim to a scam. Instead of getting the repairs you need, you just lost your money.

The Home Repair Scam involves scammers posing as contractors to trick people into paying for repair services that are often unnecessary or low-quality. You can avoid this scam by recognizing warning signs and taking proactive steps.

From 2007 to 2022, the Federal Trade Commission has received over 100,000 reports of home repair or improvement scams. The yearly average is 6,124.

But remember: Not all scam victims report. So there could be more victims of the scam.

In December 2024, brothers from Fermanagh County were jailed for targeting the elderly in the US with home repair scams.

According to the BBC, the brothers were Patrick McDonagh and Matthew McDonagh.

Pretending to be home repair experts, they traveled and found their victims around Illinois and Oregon.

Their first attack happened in January 2024. They knocked on the door of a resident in Shoreline, Seattle, claiming that his roof had a hole.

The brothers offered to fix the hole with the additional moss removal service. Eventually, the scammers pressured the victim into paying a total of $61,000.

Then, the brothers claimed that there was a crack in the foundation and that they’d fix it with a titanium tie rod system. So, they asked for an additional payment of $200,000.

But in the end, the brother didn’t really have to fix anything as there was not a hole and the foundation was secure. Instead, they dug trenches and then added some concrete to make it look like repairs were made.

Patrick and Matthew victimized three more people in Oregon and one in Illinois.

After many complaints and an extensive investigation, authorities finally caught the brothers.

In September 2024, the brothers pleaded guilty to running a fraudulent home repair scheme that preyed on unsuspecting homeowners.

According to the Assistant United States Attorney, the brothers mostly victimized people aged over 60.

This is primarily because the elderly are more trusting and polite due to the generation they lived in – where people valued politeness and trust in others. Scammers know this so they often target the elderly.

Other reasons include higher homeownership rates, health conditions, and lack of familiarity with scams.

Essentially, a home repair scam is where scammers pretend to be legitimate contractors, deceiving homeowners.

The scam can lead to significant financial loss and in some cases theft with scammers stealing your valuables in your home while you’re distracted.

Here’s the detailed step-by-step process of the home repairs scam:

• Step 1 - Target Identification: Scammers find their targets through public records, responding to repair inquiries online, canvassing neighborhoods, or checking property records. Just like the McDonagh brothers, scammers often seek out the elderly as they’re more trusting and more likely to have savings or home equity.

• Step 2 - Unsolicited Contact: Scammers will reach out to their targets, either through knocking on the doors, calling, or leaving flyers. They will claim to have noticed a serious issue with the home. It can be a leaking roof, cracked driveway, or structural damage.

• Step 3 - Creation of Urgency. To pressure homeowners into making a quick decision, scammers often warn that delaying repairs could result in further damage, higher costs, and even problems with local regulations. This will create a sense of urgency that will prompt targets to make quick decisions.

• Step 4 - Offering an Enticing Deal: To fully convince homeowners, scammers often quote unusually low prices. They may also claim to have leftover materials from a previous project and offer a “limited-time discount.”

• Step 5 - Requesting Upfront Payment: Once homeowners agree, scammers will demand a large upfront payment, often under the guise that they need it for buying the materials or securing labor. They often insist on non-secure, untraceable, and irreversible payment methods like cash, wire transfers, and gift cards.

• Step 6 - Performing the Fake Fix: If any work is done at all, it is often unnecessary, rushed, or low quality. Scammers may use cheap materials, dig more holes, and even abandon the project midway, leaving your home in worse condition than before.

• Step 8 - Disappearance: After the subpar fix and securing payment, scammers disappear quickly. They may provide you with fake contact information to create a false sense of security, or simply cut all forms of communication.

Here are signs of a home repair scam:

• Sign No. 1 - Unsolicited Offers: It’s a scam if a home repair service appears unannounced. They may claim they were just in the neighborhood.

• Sign No. 2 - Starting Without a Contract: It’s a scam if they insist on starting the work even without a contract. Remember, real contractors always provide written contracts outlining the scope of work, cost, timeline, and payment conditions. Scammers avoid contracts to freely inflate costs, abandon the work whenever they like, and deny there was an agreement.

• Sign No. 3 - Unverifiable Credentials: It’s a scammer if they don’t lack business licenses, insurance, and other verifiable references.

• Sign No. 4 - High-Pressure Tactics: Scammers like to pressure their scammers. So, if they insist the fix needs to be done quickly to claim a discount or avoid legal problems or further damage, then the service is a scam.

• Sign No. 5 - Upfront Payment Requests: If a contractor demands large payments upfront, then it’s a scam. Don’t pay without getting the service agreed upon.

• Sign No. 6 - Sudden Increase of Pricing: It’s a scam if a scammer first quotes low prices in the beginning but as the fake work progresses, they start requiring more payments.

• Sign No. 7 - Claim of Leftover Materials: Lastly, it’s a scam if the contractor claims they can use leftover materials from a recent job, leading to a discount. This is a classic urgency tactic meant to make you feel you’re getting a special deal.

Here are some things you can do to protect yourself from the home repair scam:

• Protection No. 1 - Stop and Ask for Recommendations: If a contractor offers you a deal that seems too good to be true, take a moment to pause and think it over. Then, ask the people you know and trust for recommendations. You can also check online reviews to see if the contractor is legitimate.

• Protection No. 2 - Get a Contract: Always ask for a written contract that will clearly outline the necessary details for the repair – from the scope to payment terms. Also, ensure that the contract has the contractor’s information, including names, dates, and contact details.

• Protection No. 3 - Use Secure Payment Methods: Avoid paying large fees upfront through non-secure methods. Instead, opt for more secure options like credit or debit cards, and virtual cards. Also, pay only when the job is completed.

• Protection No. 4 - Pass on the Information: You can share your experience online or with the people you love. This will help other people recognize the scam before they become the next victim.

In summary, the home repair scam is where scammers trick homeowners into paying for repair services that are either unnecessary or low-quality. This scam is often targeted at the elderly, leading to significant financial loss.

What is a Home Warranty Letter Scam?

A home warranty letter scam is a notice requiring a person to respond immediately, with a threat of coverage termination. If you respond to the letter, you’ll be connected to a scammer who will deceive you into providing your information or making payments. Remember: scams often use urgency and threatening language.

What to do if you’re targeted with a door-to-door scam?

If you’re targeted with a door-to-door scam, the first thing you should do is not let the stranger in your home. Then, do your research to verify the contractor, and if you can’t you should seek well-known and licensed contracts. Also, always ask for written contracts and never pay upfront fees.