Joanne Baptiste says 3 young males not long ago arrived to the door of her Ottawa home, declaring they were being with Sunrise Roofing carrying out emergency repairs down the street and recognized issues on her roof.

“They went up on the roof and came back with their mobile with images of harmed boards and mentioned if I didn’t get it completed I’d have drinking water filtration,” Baptiste stated. “They ended up seeking to do the occupation for $1,500.”

Baptiste was suspicious, so she looked up the corporation title and referred to as the proprietor, Monthly bill Onion. His remedy confirmed her fears.

“These individuals are posing as me and my firm,” Onion informed CTV News Ottawa. “I really do not have males who operate in the wintertime.”

Onion’s organization is based mostly out of Franktown, about an hour outside of Ottawa. While Baptiste managed to dodge this rip-off, many others in the spot weren’t so fortunate.

One resident in Old Ottawa South states personnel knocked on his door and offered to have a appear and resolve it on the spot. He paid $2,500 in dollars.

That operator, who declined an on-camera job interview, says he named Onion right after hunting up the company identify on-line.

“3 calls in a person day,” Onion mentioned. “Those people are the calls I acquired. How a lot of people obtained cheated and did not call me?”

A closer search at the receipt, the tackle on the roofing agreement is from a independent firm in Toronto. That company claims they’ve been possessing issues.

“We are conscious of the difficulty that there are people today portraying themselves as getting from our enterprise, that are not and we are encouraging individuals to make contact with law enforcement if they run in get hold of with these people,” stated Brian Salveira, the VP of Sunrise Roofing Contractors in Toronto.

Baptiste claims she’s submitted a report with law enforcement and is waiting to listen to back. Meanwhile, Onion claims homeowners need to have to do their research, ask for references from their previous clientele and be wary of individuals searching for rapid payment.

“If they ask for income ahead of any function usually takes area, you’re about to be ripped off,” he said.