To think I might be getting scammed - again!

[Judithand]

We are doing a huge house renovation and adaption this summer. Our builder recommended a kitchen fitter who came out and gave a quote. The reason I booked him is because he said he would be available.

He asked for 50% deposit in cash and I foolishly paid him.
He kept pushing back the job and eventually just stopped replying. The builder knows his family, and found out he has a drug addiction and has gone missing.

So deposit gone.
I put on social media to find another kitchen fitter for this weekend as we are only waiting for this work before moving home.
As the works were all funded by fundraising and go fund me as my son is disabled it got a lot of traction on social media. I didn’t name the thief but lots of people messaged me knowing who he was and the company he had worked for (family business)

The brother of the scammer contacted the builder, said it looked bad on his business that I was sharing it online. He would come this weekend with his family and fit the kitchen and wardrobes for us.

However it is not the design, spec or colour that we wanted - only what was in stock.

This morning I met the guys at the house and he asked me for 5 grand for the materials and to pay the guys that came to work today.
I didn’t respond just stared at him blankly.

We paid more than 5 grand in deposit. If the materials and labour cost that much then should be not take it up with his brother? Who is not missing at all but in the parents home.
By doing this work and sharing on social media it looks like they’ve done the job for free

So
AIBU - yes just pay for what you got today and deal with scammer later
No - brother should be taking some money from the thief as he knows where he is.

Why the hell have you let them into your house with a kitchen you don't even want? Get them out now and find a legitimate company to do the work. Christ if I had donated to a gofundme and found out the money had been stolen I wouldn't be too happy to find out you had then used the same bloody family to come and scam you again.

Maybe contact action fraud love they might well be doing this regularly x

I couldn’t find a company to fit a kitchen with such short notice. The entire house is ready except for a kitchen so we do not need anymore money or fundraising.

The total amount was 14500 - I paid 7250 to the awol guy.
I don’t mind paying for the work received - but I feel like it’s just not right.

I agreed to a kitchen that I hadn’t seen or picked because I was so tired & just want to move back home.

Have you reported this to the police, if you know where he is can't they arrest him for fraud or theft or whatever?

Is the kitchen in? And is there £7250 worth of materials used?

This sounds like complete madness!

Do you have anyone (the builder?) who can be witness and speak up on your behalf?

Don't pay anything. Go to the police.

You are likely throwing good money after bad. Do not compromise on the kitchen nor go with the scammers family.

How big is the kitchen? Surely an ikea kitchen would be fine (and cheap). Then ask for help to fit it (if you have to ask for freebies?) So disappointed that money has been donated to you and you have given it away without checking!

Are you sure that this wasn't part of the scam - i.e. builder goes AWOL so family step in to, 'save the day?'

And who buys a kitchen without seeing it?

Don’t pay them a penny! If it was ‘just stuff they had in the warehouse’ then they can chalk it up to experience and get the £7K from their brother. Do they think you’re delighted with the wrong kitchen? Morally, of course they should provide you with a kitchen, their brother buggered off with your money and left you with nothing.

You can buy kitchens second hand too: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/4328653-Just-bought-This-kitchen?msgid=110575578

If the scammer and brother are part of the same firm then you have paid the “firm” £7250 already and should not pay it again. If the scammer hasn’t paid the £7250 into the company then they should be going after him for theft, not overcharging you.

OP, please say you aren't paying them AGAIN?

"As the works were all funded by fundraising and go fund me as my son is disabled"

"we also got a loan, savings and a grant so not completely GoFundMe for the build"

That's a bit contradictory.

If I had donated via GoFundMe and you had been irresponsible enough to give over £7000 of peoples' donations in cash to a stranger I would be fucking furious, frankly. I would be, as PP said, a little suspicious that you were involved in defrauding people, especially as you don't actually seem to have made any effort to recoup this money.

I also don't understand this "The entire house is ready except for a kitchen so we do not need anymore money or fundraising"

If you have lost over £7k of donations but you don't need to replace those funds to complete it, why did you need it in the first place? Or am I reading it wrongly.

You paid half as a deposit and then pay final half on completion which is where the latest chap is asking for payment. The fact its not what you ordered you need to work out with them what it's worth or ask them to take it out and fit as original order and then you pay full outstanding balance

So you've been robbed by this family once and now you're asking if you should let them do it again?

No OP. You shouldn't. But surely you can work that out for yourself?

Why on earth are you letting these people into your home? Are you mad?

@WeBuiltCisCityOnSexistRoles you are reading it wrong.

The fundraising is over - the adaptions are done to the home - the only part of the entire build that is not completed is the kitchen. It was booked to go in the first week of august. I had the full amount of money to pay for the kitchen, 50% deposit was requested, I paid. The guy was recommended by the builder - I trusted that.

I was trying to recoup the money as I thought that the guys today were doing the works for free to make up for the theft.

I only found out this morning when he mentioned payment

GoFundMe should be bloody banned.

If you can’t afford it (that includes the sad-face funeral funding you get on GoFundMe) then you don’t bloody have it!

The concept of saving up / saving for a rainy day is alien to many people today. All about ‘the instant’.

OP you’ve been gullible, but you can’t be faulted for that. You are now being negligent with your own and others money.

I say stop the work straight away and get them out of your house. Do not feel like you have to accept a ‘kitchen in stock in the warehouse’, that could mean anything.
Just stop dealing with this family, and tough shit if it makes the builders family look bad in social media - if he wasn’t a robbing / scamming bastard in the first place he wouldn’t have anything to look bad about.

Of course you don’t pay them again you absolute tool 🙄

I was trying to recoup the money as I thought that the guys today were doing the works for free to make up for the theft.

I only found out this morning when he mentioned payment

So why have you let him into your home? Surely at that point you tell him to fuck off?

@SukonthaM

Of course you don’t pay them again you absolute tool 🙄

To the point!