BBB warns About Home Repair Scammer
By: Julie Musgrave
Updated: May 22, 2009
The Better Business Bureau is warning about a Lubbock man they say is behind several area scams -- most of them promising various home repairs, but in the end, nothing is fixed but the situation.
A Lubbock Grand Jury indicted 47-year-old Tommy Newton on Wednesday for theft of an elderly person. But the BBB says more than likely, that's not his only fraud. It's just the only one that's been reported, in at least the last twelve years.
Nan Campbell says an elderly woman came to the BBB asking for help after Tommy Newton scammed her out of nearly $3500.
The woman says her water randomly shut off one day, then Newton showed up on her doorstep, saying he was a plumber, and could fix the problem. Newton then tore up the backyard, laid down new pipes -- and took off with the money.
The woman says something just didn't feel right. Well, turns out, Newton is connected to several home repair companies over the past 12 years, everything from roofing to insulation. The BBB has tried contacting Newton, but he hasn't responded to any of their attempts.
Nan Campbell, Better Business Bureau: "We hired a master plumber to go out. And sure enough, they uncovered all the brand new pipe, none of it was connected to anything. The bottom line is that she got scammed. Really, without knowing it until after the fact."
Campbell says there have been no formal complaints on Mr. Newton or his companies, but if you think you've been the target of one his scams, go ahead and give the BBB a call and they can check it out.
