‘I was really upset’: Ontario senior warns of roofing scam that almost cost her $34,000

Some questionable roofers are knocking on doors this winter and one family says they were almost taken for more than $34,000. Pat Foran reports.

A Mississauga, Ont., senior is speaking out after she was nearly defrauded of $34,000 in a roofing scam.

“I opened the door and (a man) said, ‘I can see you need your roof done and we are in the neighbourhood, we can help,’” Leslie Bentley told CTV News.

It was just before the New Year when Bentley said someone claiming to be a roofer knocked on her door and said her roof was in need of repair. She said she knew her shingles were getting older, so when the alleged roofer said he could replace them, she agreed.

“He told me I had to pay him $7,000 in cash,” Bentley said. “So, I went to the bank, and I got it for him.”

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According to Bentley, after the man got on top of her house, he told her that the roof was in horrible shape and she needed to pay him an additional $27,000.

“He said it was rotten,” she said. “(He said) the roof was rotten, the trusses were rotten, and the whole thing needed to be replaced. I think I started to cry, I was really upset.”

However, before she handed over anymore money, Bentley called her daughter Tracy.

“I messaged back to my mom and said, ‘Do not give them anymore money. I’m not sure these guys are legit,’” Tracy Bentley told CTV News.

Tracy also said her brother went up on the roof and confronted the apparent roofers and asked to see the rotted wood, but there was no damage.

“It was not rotted,” Tracy said. “It was in fine condition. There was nothing wrong other than the fact the roof needed new shingles.”

As soon as Tracy and her brother started asked questions, they said the people took off in a hurry.

“We looked out the window, and the roofers were gone, the van was gone, everyone took off,” said Tracy.

In security video submitted by the Bentley family to CTV News, the man that Bentley gave the money to can be seen. The name of the company he worked for was called ’24 Hrs Roofing and Masonry.’

When CTV News reached out to the company by phone, the person who answered hung up on two separate attempts. There was no response to an email sent by CTV News to the company’s website either.

Bentley said she had to hire another company to re-shingle her roof.

She said while she regrets handing over $7,000, she was glad she wasn’t scammed out of $27,000 more, and credits her children for helping.

“I’m sure glad I have a pro-active son and daughter,” said Bentley. “I have no idea where I would be, but I would be $27,000 poorer I guess.”

The family said they have filed a complaint with Peel Regional Police.