It's a scam that police want people to be aware of, especially this time of year.
When someone comes knocking, offering help... but is actually looking to rob you blind.
85-year old Ida Madou didn't think the young man who stopped by her house to check on her roof looked suspcious--even though he showed up unnanounced.
So she let him inside, without asking many questions...
Ida says, "I just trust people, and I don't even try to notice what they're doing or what they look like."
He led her around her house and property, leading her to believe he was
checking for problems and leaks, and then he left. A few hours later, Ida's son came to
check on her, and noticed all sorts of things out of place.
"They went through this house in a
matter of minutes," said Ida's son, Kevin Madou. "One of them kept my
mom busy acting like he was concerned about her roof, and there had to be a
second perpetrator."
Among the items missing: a safe, that had been hidden below the basement stairway for
more than twenty years. It contained dozens of sets of Canadian
and U.S. mint coins that were purchased and collected by Ida's late husband.
"It's irreplaceable from a value standpoint. You cant go out and get
these, and especially because my Dad has passed. And that it was what he did
every christmas", said Kevin.
While the safe is gone, the family says the main thing is Ida's safety. At 85,
Ida's still learning from her life experiences.
"You cant judge people by their looks, you have to not trust everybody, and
I've been told, don't let anybody in the house."
The Federal Trade Commission says the best way to avoid a scam like this one is to be wary of any supposed contractor that solicits door-to-door.
If you know of a scam or a ripoff here in the Puget Sound area, shoot me a note here on the blog, or email me directly: bwixey@tribune.com
I'm Bill Wixey, keeping your Money Safe.