Pocono News Section

Possible Roof Repair Scam

Possible Roof Repair Scam - Monday, June 7, 2010 at 04:01AM EST

Reported by: Mike Trim
Monday June 07 2010

WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- What looked like a possible Wilkes-Barre roof repair scam turns out to be a whole lot more. Our I-Team discovered a possible construction contractor scheme that's costing people tens of thousands of dollars.

Christina Flynn of Wilkes-Barre knows she might be out nearly two thousand dollars.

"This was a scam and I was scammed. You read about it but you don't think it's going to happen to you. I was very upset. I'm getting emotional now," said Flynn.

Emotional because Flynn saved her money for months to pay for roof repairs at her home here on spring street. She responded to a classified ad for All American Construction.

We found a listing for the same company on the website Craigslist. The listings say the company is licensed, but that's hardly the case.

Flynn said Jason Kupiec gave her an estimate for roof repairs and asked for nearly two thousand dollars up front for materials. After Flynn gave Kupiec the money she had second thoughts.

She checked with city code enforcement to see if Kupiec had a contractors license and so did the I-team. We found the city of Wilkes-Barre has no license on record for Kupiec or All American Construction. The state has no license on record either. Both are required for construction work.

Flynn says she called Kupiec, asking for her money back. She says he promised a return, but that was more than a week and now Kupiec's not returning her phone calls.

Flynn said, "My income tax check is gone now and I have nothing to show for it, you know."

In part two of this story, we show you how the I-team found Kupiec is involved in a state attorney general lawsuit for construction work.