SCAMMERS are stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from unsuspecting victims, hoping to get work done on their homes.

Nathaniel Gevern Lewis, a fraudulent contractor, robbed customers who hired his construction businesses “From the Ground Up” and “NGL Construction.”

The Montana man broke the state’s Office of Consumer Protection’s rules by participating in unfair trade practices. 

Lewis allegedly solicited customers for construction-related services, demanded payment, and never completed his contract with them, local NBC affiliate KECI reported.

“The defendant…would agree to construction projects with clear scopes and costs, only to deviate by demolishing structures without consent, claiming unforeseen issues, and demanding additional payments,” the court documents stated.

The Investigations Bureau Chief for the Division of Criminal Investigation said these sorts of scams aren’t uncommon in a state like Montana.

“Montana is a vast state, and sometimes we get a lot of different resources that come into play, seasonal contractors, that kind of stuff,” Mahlum told KECI. 

“Attorney General Knudsen’s office has worked hard to try and bridge that gap with consumers because sometimes internally in the state, we don’t always have the resources to look at some of these different complaints.”

Per court documents, Lewis was ordered to pay a civil fine of $10,000 a violation.

The defendant denied all state allegations; however, he reached a negotiation with the Attorney General’s office.

In total, the contractor agreed to pay $200,000 to the victims of his scams and is no longer allowed to work in the construction industry Montana. 

“This particular case is a great example of the teamwork that our office of consumer protection folks have really worked together to try and bridge that gap to try to return some of that equity that the victims have lost in these types of cases,” Mahlum said.

Knudsen and Lewis signed the agreement and are waiting on the approval of a Flathead County judge.

Rumors have swirled about Lewis continuing to secretly do work in the state, leading Mahlum to remind citizens to stay vigilant of scammers.

“Do your homework on it,” said Mahlum.

“Make sure that they are licensed, bonded, and insured, and then make sure you’ve got some very specific paperwork. You’ll never go wrong with specificity on these types of incidents.”

The Federal Trade Commission advises homeowners to only consider licensed and insured contractors.

Americans can check with their local government to verify a contractor’s license and should ask the contractor for proof of insurance.

Bank tips for avoiding scams

As scams become more sophisticated with the use of artificial intelligence, it is important you know how to spot a scam:

• Be skeptical of online deals that seem too good to be true, especially on social media.
• Scammers will often use tactics to make you panicked so you make quick decisions – be cautious if you are told to take immediate action and verify who has contacted you.
• Chase Bank warns customers to “never return any unexpected funds without calling Chase first.”
• Never send money to someone you have only spoken to online or by phone as this is likely a romance scam.
• Unless you 100% know who you are talking to, never give someone remote access to your device.
• Never accept help from strangers at an ATM and always be vigilant when making withdrawals.
• Do not send money or click any links indicating that you have won a prize.

Source: Chase.com

Homeowners should also carefully read reviews and get multiple estimates before doing any work to their homes. 

When a homeowner does decide to go with a specific contractor, its essential to carefully read over the contract.

The contract should include basic information about the business you’re working with, estimated start and completion dates, and any promises made during conversations on the construction.

The FTC also urges citizens not to pay the full amount up front, and note that some states have a limit on the amount of money a contractor can ask for a payment.