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Deceptive business practices

Fraudster Contractor Arrested In Bucks County, Authorities Say Fraudster Contractor Arrested In Bucks County, Authorities Say
Fraudster Contractor Arrested In Bucks County, Authorities Say A fraudster has been arrested in Bucks County after police said he scammed a client out of money. Walter Charles Porter Jr. accepted a payment for hardscape work in April 2021 under "Walts Outdoor Living Spaces," Bedminster police said. As of April 2024, Porter never completed the work, nor did he provide, materials or a refund to the victims when asked multiple times over the years, police said. Porter was charged with home improvement fraud, deceptive business practices, theft, and receiving stolen property. He was arraigned with bail set at $100,000 and is barred from having any contact…
Contractor Charged With Home Improvement Fraud In Monroe County, DA Says Contractor Charged With Home Improvement Fraud In Monroe County, DA Says
Contractor Charged With Home Improvement Fraud In Monroe County, DA Says A Monroe County contractor is accused of pocketing tens of thousands for work he didn't perform, officials say.  The District Attorney's Office said Garry Dobson is charged with home improvement fraud, deceptive business practices, and related counts.  According to prosecutors, a pair of homeowners gave Dobson a $45,000 deposit to build an addition to their home in June of 2022. Months went by without Dobson beginning the project, and when the homeowners eventually asked for their money back, authorities said Dobson refused.  Investigators said he spent the $45,000 on unrela…
No-Show NJ Contractor Wanted In PA: Police No-Show NJ Contractor Wanted In PA: Police
No-Show NJ Contractor Wanted In PA: Police Authorities in Bucks County are looking for a New Jersey contractor accused of taking payment for projects he never completed.  Bernard Kanuck of Franklinville, NJ is the owner of Alpha One Construction LLC, said Central Bucks Regional police in a release.  Investigators say Kanuck was contacted by a Doylestown business owner about sidewalk repair. He started the job but stopped showing up, according to police.  Elsewhere in the borough, authorities said a North Hamilton Street homeowner paid the 40-year-old $2,100 for electrical work. He allegedly ripped out the wiring…
Fake Door-To-Door Contractor Sexually Assaults West Chester Woman: Authorities Fake Door-To-Door Contractor Sexually Assaults West Chester Woman: Authorities
Fake Door-To-Door Contractor Sexually Assaults West Chester Woman: Authorities Every woman at home alone's worst nightmare came true when a group of men posing as home improvement contractors entered her home last Wednesday, police in West Chester said. Three men were going door-to-door on Nov. 22 claiming to represent Everest Roofing & Masonry contracting — a company that does not exist, according to a release from WCPD.  At one woman's home, a man who introduced himself as "Jimmy" handed over an Everest Roofing business card before going into her house and sexually assaulting her, investigators said.  The victim reported the attack and police called the phone …
PA Collision Center Owner Surrenders After Submitting $426K In False Insurance Claims PA Collision Center Owner Surrenders After Submitting $426K In False Insurance Claims
PA Collision Center Owner Surrenders After Submitting $426K In False Insurance Claims A Bucks County collision center owner who submitted nearly 300 false insurance claims, pocketing more than $426,000 in payouts has surrendered to authorities, they said. John Paul Reis, 56, of Newtown Township, turned himself in on Thursday, Aug. 25, on charges of insurance fraud, deceptive business practices, forgery, and theft by deception, all third-degree felonies, according to the Bucks County District Attorney's Office. The charges come after a four-year investigation by county detectives that began in Sept. 2018, after they received a referral from officials with …
PA Contractor Ripped Off $86K From Clients, AG Says PA Contractor Ripped Off $86K From Clients, AG Says
PA Contractor Ripped Off $86K From Clients, AG Says A contractor in Pennsylvania has been charged after he accepted deposits to build elevators in six residents' homes but never did any of the work, authorities said. Michael Bloom, of Williamsport, agreed to the projects, which totaled $86,110, AG Josh Shapiro said. He provided little or no services in return and refused to give his customers refunds. Five of the homeowners left in the lurch by Bloom were over 60 years old, the AG said. “The law is clear on this,” AG Shapiro said. “Contractors can’t enter into a contract, accept money from a homeowner, and then fail to deliver — and that’s …
Chester Construction Worker Surrenders After Collecting $11K For Incomplete Jobs, Police Say Chester Construction Worker Surrenders After Collecting $11K For Incomplete Jobs, Police Say
Chester Construction Worker Surrenders After Collecting $11K For Incomplete Jobs, Police Say The owner of a Chester County construction company surrendered to police after collecting $11,000 from a resident for work that was never completed, authorities said. The 69-year-old victim told police he gave Glenolden-based Lane General Contracting owner Joseph Ronald Lane IV an $11,000 down-payment in October 2020, according to the Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department. No construction work was ever done by Lane, who failed to return the money and stopped communicating with the resident, police said. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued for Lane, and he turned h…