I got a text message from an individual asking if I can do an inspection next Friday. As a new guy struggling to get this business off the ground, I leap for it. Of course I can. What’s the address?
It’s a new house, built in 2023 and really close to home. Heck, an easy inspection close to home, what a deal! I enter all the generic information to report template ready. Next day the guy asks for my name and physical address because he wants to send me a certified check, would that be OK?
This is the first alarm bell. But hey, I’m new. I can work with that. I tell him I can as long as the check has completely cleared by the time of the inspection. He says cool.
Next day, next text. Hey, I’m going to have a mold inspector there same day as you, he won’t take a check. Can you pay him if I make your check out for both amounts?
This was the final alarm bell. However, I’ll admit, I played along for a little longer out of desperation. I tried to convince myself this might be real but, I knew it was a scam. It took me until the next day when I cancelled the inspection. I cited a family emergency that came up just in case this was the weird one off where this wasn’t a scam. He kept pressing though. Why? Could we reschedule? Maybe the next day? I ended up blocking him.
The certified check arrived the morning of the scheduled inspection day. Of course not enough time for it to actually clear. It was made for $1200 over my fee. Spendy mold inspector. The return address was for a pack and ship in Denver CO.
No way this was legit.
Heads up folks. I didn’t fall for it, you shouldn’t either.
Curious if you guys that have played along with these scammers, ever tell them that you can only pay the “mold inspector” in cash and that you could meet them at the property for payment?
I understand that Joe. Most don’t bother with messing with them at all, I was thinking more in the line that the playing with them would end sooner, or how they would respond to the request. My bet is no one on their end would show up in person.
Btw- I do have time to mess with them but they have yet to offer to scam me…
Funny that the “shitbags” keep preying on the naive. I have no problem outing a scammer and will take time to do it. It may be a waste of a little of my time, but may help others not waste theirs.
That is my bet as well. There is no way they have local fellow scumbags that would risk showing up. If so, it would be the easiest bust ever.
My guess is that no one involved in the scam is located in the US. And the mold inspector (or whatever contractor you are supposed to pay) is actually the same scammer you are texting with.
You should contact the nearest Secret Service office in your area and see if they would like you to send the check and even lope to them. The USSS handles all monetary crimes and actively work on cases like this. Also the Postmaster General handles things like this since it is mail fraud. This is a federal offense on so many levels.
The first time something like this happened, I scheduled the inspection, showed up on time, knocked on the door and was met by a very bewildered homeowner. The “client” tried the check thing. I told him it is no problem, there is an option to pay by credit/ debit once you receive the confirmation email. He kept up the thing so I thought it may be legit. Either way, I finally got a day off and learned a valuable lesson. Welcom to the club!
