Police hope a little information will go a long way in preventing seniors from falling prey to a ring of door-to-door con artists this summer.
Sgt. Matt Baldes of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Independence Township substation will present a talk on imposter burglaries and home repair scams at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 20.
The free event takes place at the Independence Township Senior Center, but those from surrounding communities are welcome, as well.
‘I would encourage all seniors to attend, or anyone with senior parents or other loved ones,? Baldes said. ‘Anyone they want to help protect.?
Baldes, who attended police training on the subject, said he’ll talk to attendees about organized groups of transient criminals? sometimes known as ‘gypsies? or ‘travelers?’who move across the county as they hit one community and move on to the next.
‘Their sole purpose is to rob, steal and cheat people out of their money,? Baldes said, noting the crimes are almost always non-violent. ‘They target the senior population exclusively.?
Baldes said the individuals often appear to operate under a legitimate business name, John Doe Roofing, for example, and promise services they don’t deliver.
New roofs, and seal-coated driveways, he said, are classic examples, but the scams could involve any type of home improvement of repair.
‘They either ask for money up front and never come back to do the job, or they do a poor job and demand more money than they originally quoted,? Baldes said. ‘They’ll say the materials cost more than they expected, or they needed more materials than they expected.?
The other scam, he explained, is known as an imposter crime, where members of the group represent themselves as a utility worker or other legitimate person.
‘Sometimes they’ll get the homeowner outside while another member goes into the house and quickly steals what they can,? he said.
In the past, Baldes noted, the local community has had few reports of such activity, while nearby communities have been ‘hammered.? This spring, however, Independence Township police have already had reports of home repair or imposter scams.
‘A significant number go unreported or undiscovered by the homeowner,? he said. ‘These folks don’t go in and ransack your house, so often times people don’t know things are missing until weeks later. Or they might be embarrassed that they got taken advantage of and don’t want to tell their families, thinking ‘my kids will think I can’t take care of myself.??
But, he said, it’s a needless feel of shame or embarrassment, as the individuals are professional con artists.
‘This is a very close-knit community of people who don’t allow outsiders in through marriage or friendship,? Baldes said. ‘From infants, they are raised and trained to steal. They have no real skills; their only skill is to steal.?
Baldes said he will identify indicators during his talk so people can judge whether a person is legitimate or looking to scam. He’ll also offer suggests on how seniors can protect themselves and have the confidence to report a suspicious incident to police right away.
‘I’m very glad Sgt. Baldes came forward to do the program for us,? said Margaret Bartos, Independence Township Senior Center director. ‘I think it’ll be very valuable to our residents; I was shocked to hear that this is an organized crime ring, not just a hit-or-miss type thing. I hope a lot of people come out to hear the presentation.?
The Independence Township Senior Center is located at 6000 Clarkston Road. Call 248-625-8231.