HOUSTON – A new scam is targeting Houston landscapers, tree-cutters, yard workers, and other industries focused on outdoor home improvement, Chanel 2 Investigates has learned.
"I am assuming they are finding people like me on Facebook," Greg Bynum, owner of Superlative Service Landscape & Irrigation, said.
Bynum did not fall for the scam but wants to warn his colleagues in the industry about the problem, so does Michael McSorley, a Realtor with Keller Williams Memorial.
"I have seen this happen eight times, now," McSorley said.
The spammers pose as new homeowners, randomly selected vacant homes on the market, and encouraging the contractors to make a bid.
"Then he said, do me one favor, add $2,500 because I have another guy who needs to be paid and doesn't take credit cards," Bynum said.
The seasoned landscaper was suspicious at that point and later learned his $2,500 would have been transferred to the scammers' account who were using a stolen credit card.
"It was my mission to get all the information I could from these people and then report it to the appropriate authorities,” Bynum said.
McSorley said the exact same scenario has happened eight times, using a particular home he is selling.
"It's just the luck of the draw. People need to know about it," McSorley said.
