APB Security Systems

Can we protect our senior citizens?

Prompted by a recent meeting with representatives of C.A.S.C. (Community Agency for Senior Citizens), the NYC Police Department, and the District Attorney's office, I've chosen to direct this issue toward our senior citizen community.

"Loving", "Trusting", 'Compassionate"...These are just a few of the adjectives which can be used to describe our elderly. Unfortunately, it's these same positive qualities that can sometimes lead them to financial ruin or, worse, to becoming a victim of a crime.

In this issue, we will try to cover some of the more common problems and risks which our seniors are most vulnerable to, along with solutions:

Home improvement and repair rip-offs, including steps our seniors can take to prevent such rip-offs.

Criminal scams and schemes which target the elderly, and safety precautions which can be taken to minimize the chances of becoming a victim.

Special proqrams, aqencies, and services which currently exist and whose resources might help to protect the elderly (as well as our general population) from being victimized.

HOME IMPROVEMENT AND REPAIR PROBLEMS

To provide some of the more common examples of home improvement complaints, we have obtained information on problems which were actually experienced by Staten Island homeowners from the files of existing consumer agencies and services. (For obvious reasons, the names of the consumers and the firms involved will be eliminated from our examples.)

1. Example: A homeowner with a roof problem calls the firm with the largest advertisement in the Yellow Pages and has even seen the company's trucks in his neighborhood. A nice, professional-looking young man gives a $5,000 proposal to redo the roof, explains that the homeowner can save money by paying cash, and says all the right things to convince the homeowner that he can be trusted.

Outcome: A crew shows up, spreads some tar on the roof, walks away with $5,000 cash, and the roof leaks during the next rain. It's discovered that the contractor's "License Number" is invalid. The homeowner has no contract to prove that he was to get a new roof, and the homeowner can't afford the cost of hiring a lawyer and is not physically up to testifying in court. The roof still leaks, the homeowner is $5,000 poorer, and the roofing firm has already scheduled his next two victims.

2. Example: The homeowner gets three proposals ranging from $40,000 to $60,000 to renovate the kitchen and bathroom. He chooses the cheapest and feels victorious in his belief that he is SAVING $20,0001! He even tells relatives and friends to stay away from the more expensive firms because they wanted to "rip him off" by overcharging!!

Outcome: The completed job results in shoddy workmanship, crooked tiles, a damaged tub, unlicensed subcontractors for electric and plumbing, inferior materials, and he ultimately finds out the firm's license had been revoked. Therefore, he has no recourse through the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs, the very agency designed to protect consumers from this type of experience.

Both of these experiences could have been prevented if the homeowner had used one or all of the precautions listed below:

NYC Department of consumer Affairs - This is the consumer's most important tool. All home improvement contractors in the City of New York are required to be licensed by this agency. Part of the licensing fee includes a "bonded. A consumer who deals with a licensed contractor is, therefore, automatically protected by the Agency's bonding fund. Even here, however, bonding is limited to $20,000 per job, so a consumer can only be reimbursed to a maximum of $20,000 through the Department if the contractor is found to be at fault and cannot or will not pay the amount of any judgement.

Get recommendations from friends and relatives. However, don't use an unlicensed contractor even if your friend or relative has had a positive experience with the firm. Also, you might want to inspect the job done for your friend yourself, as people have different standards of quality.

Be suspicious of requests for cash. Yes, it can probably save you some percentage to pay in cash, but make sure you have a contract, Also, does the firm have insurance? It's important to be sure the firm carries workers compensation and liability coverage.

Just having a contract is not enough...You must make sure it's a detailed contract. A contract which specifies 16 feet of kitchen cabinetry means nothing...Are the cabinets wood, formica, cardboard, or paper? The contract should specifically list and describe ALL materials, as well as labor for installation

In addition to the steps outlined above, there are other local associations and referral services which can direct you to a reputable firm:

SI Home Improvement Contractors Assoc. (718-356-2323) This group can provide you with a directory of its member firms. The general membership of this group consists of licensed contractors.

Richmond County Consumer Referral Service (718*983-1515) This is a private firm which provides consumers with free referrals to reputable, pre-screened firms, and provides the background and qualifications of each firm in writing.

PROTECTION FROM COMMON CRIMINAL SCAMS

We list below a few of the more common methods used recently by local criminals.

1. An elderly person answers the door and relies solely on the screen door lock for protection from a criminal. A screwdriver and one second of time can change his/her life forever.

2. "We're working on the block and hit a gas line - You have to shut your gas valves right now. If you want, we'll help," says the clean-cut young man in the dark blue worker's uniform displaying an "ID" card. The result?? Husband and wife tied up, house ransacked and all valuables taken.

3. "My daughter is pregnant and needs to go to the hospital. Can you call 911 and get an ambulance? Can she sit down somewhere and have a drink of water? .... Mother" and "daughter" are let in, "daughter" sits on couch, homeowner is occupied getting water, "mother" makes fake 911 call and asks to use the bathroom. Instead, she loots the bedroom while the "daughter" occupies the unsuspecting victim.

All of the above experiences could have been avoided with some very affordable safety precautions:

1. An alarm system (usually free of charge with central station monitoring) with a panic button at the door easily accessible to thwart a force-in robbery.

2. An intercom allowing the occupant to communicate with the visitor WITHOUT opening the door. NEVER rely on a screen door latch, and NEVER open your home to someone in a uniform or displaying a badge or ID card without first calling the precinct or the utility company they say they represent.

Unfortunately, in today's society, our seniors must be taught to be LESS "loving", "trusting", and "compassionate" for their own protection.

I realize that teaching your elderly loved ones to change won't be easy, as "set in their ways", "stubborn", and "resistant to change" are also words and phrases used (lovingly, of course) to describe our parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.

However, I urge you to make the effort to make your elderly family members more aware of the risks they encounter in daily living, and teach them to be more protective of themselves and their property. As difficult as the process of change might be, it certainly won't be as painful as facing a family tragedy you could have helped avoid.

Articles from Steve Coppola, President of APB Security Systems

Why should I use APB?

Home | Services | News | Contacts