Three men are in police custody as part of a lengthy investigation into an alleged home renovation scam. The Waterloo Regional Police Service said they first received word about a scam targeting seniors throughout the region last summer. They said, in some instances, a person even pretended to be an officer as part of the scheme. Investigators believe victims in Waterloo Region lost more than $500,000, but similar incidents have been also reported across the country. In a news release on Monday, police said three men were arrested on July 8. There is no word on what charges, if any, the trio face. “Investigators have observed that renovation fraud schemes of this nature are often linked to organized criminal networks that operate across multiple jurisdictions in Canada,” the news release said. “In some cases, individuals connected to these networks travel from outside the country and move between communities targeting homeowners, particularly seniors, using deceptive sales tactics and high-pressure contracts.” Anyone who believes they may have been targeted is urged to reach out to investigators.
