Disabled vet says tiny home builder raided his bank account for $220K

[@BluuJourney]

Somebody pulls $220,000+ out your bank account in one day and you take your time asking the bank to reverse the charges?

[@swedesam]

Linking your bank account to a vendor seems like the reddest of red flags. Who the hell does this?

[@markaddison4642]

White fragility and privilege destroy accountability and common sense in real-time.

[@Adam-je2cp]

For real, why isn't she in charge of doing finances? Is her memory bad, too?

[@pcatful]

The contractor says his goal is to be a billionaire and people gave him access to their bank accounts .

[@Iquey]

Billionaires and billionaire wannabes once again proving there are no good billionaires

[@coastalhillbilly3419]

Yep pay contractors as they go or no deal

[@albeit1]

@@Iquey no. All it proves is there are crooked losers.

[@me-ye6ld]

@@albeit1 there are no good billionaires. No one gets that rich off their own work - they get that rich off by profiting excessively off the work others do, by buying up competition and lowering quality and wages, and by finding new ways to charge customers. More often than not they do not pay taxes and actually use government contracts to make more money - funneling our tax dollars into their own pockets and costing us all more in the end.

[@albeit1]

@@me-ye6ld Only the blind condemn an entire group of people because they reached a number.

[@loganriki2625]

They know who the owners are. The FBI, for the good of the order, needs to investigate and charge these criminals.

[@chuckxu5910]

If y’all default on VA loans, Kamala wouldn’t ever care

[@johnthompson7548]

They won’t. The fed DA won’t either. Why? The victims weren’t billionaires.

[@robertsantiago953]

They dont even know about a famous laptop computer 😂

[@K0nt4kt]

Nah fam trump is closing the FBI down because fighting corporate fraud is bad for the economy

[@iMatti00]

@@robertsantiago953- 🤤

[@ryder4508]

They just straight up stole from that family.

[@Zorbino88]

they sure did, but the family also showed them the vault and left the door open. Not a smart consumer move, but an even shittier move by the company. They say there's a sucker born every minute, it just hits home harder when the victim is a decorated veteran.

[@MoiraWillenov]

@@Zorbino88 So blame the victim? Go away.

[@EddieW-kx5mz]

if you leave your house door open and complain about being stolen from it's both your fault ​@@MoiraWillenov

[@warriorplutotrent3827]

​@@MoiraWillenovthat was just stupidity. Why would you give a stranger access to your bank account? It makes no sense.

[@sardonumspa8113]

@@MoiraWillenovYes, owner looks like him so it’s all good!

[@alexissantos9333]

Obviously, the contractor is a scam artist. But this falls on the consumer as well. You do not give access to your bank account. And if some type of unauthorized activity happens, you immediately contact your bank and dispute. You don’t sit back and wait. This is a tough lesson.

[@mayakattt3475]

He’s a scammer & a con artist. Never give anyone access to your bank account.

[@toonses4300]

And have multiple bank accounts, in case of fraud like this.

[@t.rick0]

They're both con artists

[@Adam-je2cp]

Never? So we shouldn't have autopay with phone company?

[@gregorybergfeld9293]

221k in the same day should have been flagged by the bank.

[@mirage711]

Those people should be in prison. Where the hell is the DA office

[@mistermylo8607]

She’s now in Washington DC 😅

[@CharlesCurran-m9p]

Who would be stupid enough to link your bank account to ANYONE? That’s just crazy.

[@TheDieselndust]

Californians. And they named that poor kid Bodhi😂

[@diegomontoya796]

Auto pay... you do this.

[@CharlesCurran-m9p]

@@diegomontoya796 I don’t do auto pay, I can remember to pay bills.

[@magnumxlpi]

​@diegomontoya796 yes.. for agreed upon monthly bills

[@SL-pg4dh]

@@diegomontoya796with my credit card lol

[@Mlogan11]

Why in the world would ANYONE give a contractor with direct access to make withdrawals on their bank account, and then not IMMEDIATELY call the bank to reverse the withdrawals when they were made and there was no response from the contractor? Schools are failing this country. EVERYONE should be taught financial literacy such as how to deal with contractors for big projects in school. Much of this pain could have been avoided if these folks knew their rights.

[@SuperApplefan1]

is everyone a racist?

[@upliftmofopartyplan1156]

Wow just wow

[@jyc313]

Because people are 🤡

[@pcatful]

There needs to be more education regarding business and basic finance both in schools and to the public. A benefit in the schools could also help people start their own business.

[@Spawny500]

True words.

[@mc333777]

Giving your BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER to someone new in the business with no market cap is something beyond my understanding.

[@sneat2028]

Contractors don't have shares of stock, they're independent. Market cap is irrelevant. Not to mention, in California and most states it's illegal for a contractor to collect money before work is completed. The guy who got ripped off was very naive.

[@AmericanTeacher-USA]

Misplaced trust. Sad.

[@shari9721]

@@sneat2028 how was he very naive , what the company owner did was completely illegal , he had absolutely no right or authorization to make those 3 withdrawls totalling over $220k in 1 day from his account , it was outright theft and he also illegally "billed" and stole money from numerous other people . Why he wasnt immediately charged , stripped of his business/operating licenses , ordered to close/stop work immediately ( not that he was actually working) and have all his accounts and assets , business and personal frozen immediately , the money returned etc is beyond me . The fact that he was able to declare 1 company "a failure" and shut it down after stealing from numerous people while simply reopening the business with a new name is absolutely ridiculous .

[@TheDieselndust]

Californians. ‘Nuff said. 😂

[@sneat2028]

@@TheDieselndust This type of fraud is not exclusive to California, there are shady contractors in every state.

[@MochiColorsZanos]

Omg that is criminal. We currently have an ADU in progress in our yard. The company we hired has been very professional, and we pay them in installments by check. I really hope all these people get their money back.

[@watermelon520b]

your routing and account number are on checks too so they aren’t safe either sadly

[@Steve-fx2fb]

Anytime I do work for someone. I only ask them for money upfront for material. Sometimes I'll foot the bill. But labor is always collected AFTER the job is complete. How people can steal money from another is beyond me. I get uncomfortable telling customers how much they owe. 😬

[@New-bw4kz]

Who in the world links their bank account allowing withdrawals from strangers for something like this?

[@trudichoate1950]

Right

[@brianp5205]

Anyone who applies for a mortgage. You send in a voided check with the loan documents so mortgage payments can be made automatically.

[@kbengson9163]

Morons

[@daniellebaute5751]

I’ve read so many comments on here judging this poor man and how stupid he is. My family too was scammed by this company. They were good at what they did. They not only stole from customers but also contractors, cities, counties, designers, employees, and the list goes on. Get off your high horse about what should have been done. We are all devastated and yea feel stupid. The list grows and grows everyday with the amount of people that were scammed. This is as old as time. There will always be scammers and always people “falling” for it.

[@maxinef6654]

So sorry this happened to you. It seems like no one can be trusted.

[@os2958]

its really hard to live in a world where scammers are everywhere. we need more consumer protections/regulations and the leader needs to go to prison

[@mocheen4837]

I hope the authorities go after these criminals with everything. The money needs to be returned and the thieves locked up for life. They are scammers.

[@albeit1]

Treating a contractor like their your spouse is not a sound financial move. People often spend more time ensuring that a coupon is used at checkout than ensuring that strangers don’t have access to hundreds of thousands of their dollars.

[@cynjhern]

I’ve been scammed pretty badly before. You never get over it.

[@Blue_Star_flyer]

on 'disability' has $220k in retirement, has a new baby but pays $330K for an ADU and rather than set up direct deposit from his bank to the builder allows the builder to have access to his bank account. Mr Amish Beard needs a caretaker.

[@thanosianthemadtitanic]

gotta keep up with the joneses

[@Dean-pc1ok]

Yeah they are definitely living good before this

[@leebutz4727]

$330K for a tiny home was the first mistake.

[@Bigrignohio]

THREE HUNDRED THIRTY THOUSAND? For a tiny home?

[@Blue_Star_flyer]

and on disabilities and only $220 in retirement with a new baby

[@CharlesCurran-m9p]

Ridiculous, right? But this is San Fran where regular houses go for a million+.

[@JS-yj4rb]

Home Depot sells tuff sheds for far less.

[@bigbeefjoedaddy]

They are californians. Not the brightest people in america

[@jonathanweintraub]

This is a two story ADU. It wasn’t a tiny home. It was $450k full price.

[@tech-bore8839]

Sadly, even IF he's prosecuted and found guilty, my guess is none of those people will get paid back.

[@alrighty6898]

Yeah, he’s hidden it and then declared bankruptcy. I don’t get how easy it is to do that. Just look at self proclaimed Canadian crypto king, he’s going through bankruptcy proceedings yet driving a $100k vehicle, going on expensive trips all the while claiming he has no money to pay his investors

[@CountryAndProud]

They won't. Its California... thief is legal.

[@crinklecut3790]

What a monster! To steal from a disabled vet is a special kind of low.

[@buddyluka]

$40k from a state grant, you mean me, the taxpayer. I want my refund also.

[@user-zo2ge3oe8d]

Have fun paying those Cali taxes

[@ianbrooks9686]

good luck getting your 0.001$USD back.

[@aleksandrorlov1515]

Never get taxes back.

[@sardonumspa8113]

Let’s see if this will added to the stats under cri…..rhyme. One look at the owner? I doubt it!

[@RobD1]

330k for a tiny home? Thats just stupidity at its finest!

[@SL-pg4dh]

Can buy you a mansion in some states

[@khenderson6689]

Doesn’t matter if it’s a vet or not it’s wrong and they should be held accountable!

[@Alexibawendi]

From $10K to $25k that's the minimum range of profit return every week I think it's not a bad one for me, now I have enough to pay bills and take care of my family

[@KaterinaEvan159]

Damn that's huge, how do you make that much weekly? I'm 37 and have been looking for ways to be successful, please how??

[@KaterinaEvan159]

That's great!!. I don't know anything about investing and I intend to start. What are your strategies?

[@Alexibawendi]

The best strategy is starting with a professional coach, as a beginner who knows little or nothing in the crypto market to avoid losing out.

[@LoreenMartin]

Can I also do it??? My life is facing lots of challenges lately.

[@stanleymaxon]

Wow! Kind of in shock you mentioned expert, Jenifer Spencer. What a coincidence

[@lomont6786]

The home owners should also educate themselves. It is illegal for a contractor to charge more than 10% of the project or $1000, whatever is less. In other words the contractor should not take more then 1000 dls from the client as a form down payment. The home owner also has the right to cancel the contract after 5 days. I'm a GC and I never take large payments upfront. It's stupid that people are actually buying into those scams.

[@warriorplutotrent3827]

Couldve had some Mexicans to build you a tiny home for less than 15k. That's insane to pay what they company was asking

[@DMS20231]

Seriously you can have Home Depot put a giant shed/barn on your property and finish it out yourself.

[@dianejacobson9367]

😂 It’s true!!

[@internetentertainmentmedia2451]

So basically this guy stole everyone’s money and ran

[@maxinef6654]

He needs to be jailed 😠

[@memo6733]

You open your bank account to them not smart.

[@RhythmBoy]

Never give anybody access to your bank account. Ever. If they won't take your credit card or a check, don't do business with them.

[@RedHorseman66]

They're attempting to normalize it plausibly deniably in order to lay down the foundations of this occurring normally. This is what the cult diploma thumpers do.

[@Adam-je2cp]

So dont sign up for Verizon autopay?

[@alexeinorris9537]

What a crook. I hope the family wins

[@phobedavis7014]

Never link your bank account.

[@joshuabales2354]

He’s got ptsd but only stationed at the border and in Korea?! 100% disability what?!

[@randyb620]

As a 30 retired vet, 5 combat deployments to Iraq and this guy has 100% for the border, give me an Fing break. I work at the border now and there is nothing stressful about it. He is also a criminal working the VA and taxpayers money!

[@marciabueno5093]

This is why you have separate bank accounts.

[@JohnLee-db9zt]

This guy makes me sick yo my stomach. He needs to be locked up and all his asset seized.

[@mareynalanda4036]

🚨🚨They didn’t pay their workers either, made the crew go to work for two weeks and then at the end of the pay period sent out an email saying they didn’t have funds to pay any of them a last check. These people are EVIL!!! The men had nothing after all of their hard work! Stole their time and energy, and most are fathers or husbands who take care of their families and have bills!! Still haven’t heard anything since. They’re criminals!!🚨🚨

[@nachosilva3777]

Damn! Criminals need jail time!

[@RoderickTom-ge1vc]

Should have went to the bank and cancelled all payments immediately!

[@Zorbino88]

it's hard to cancel those kinds of transfers when you've given the other party unfettered access to your account. all in all it was a dumb move to link the company to their account to begin with. i'm a big skeptic and question a lot of things, this is an obvious red flag to me, but some people really just don't know any better.

[@nomanejane5766]

U can't cancel wire transfers

[@joeyjoey22]

@@Zorbino88these are very common. Every store and everyone does that. for any purchase you can set up auto payments. But these are supposed to be for amount you owe on schedule. Not unrestricted access. That access was also abused. It’s not that they linked their checking account with the contractor and gave them free access

[@neilkurzman4907]

How do you cancel them after the fact?

[@abezilla103010]

This company definitely needs to be prosecuted criminally and made a huge example of. This is gross intentional criminal conduct, not a failed business. There are too many "contractors" like Tiny Homes intentionally scamming these homeowners. DO NOT PAY UP FRONT! It is illegal for contractors to demand money up front and CA law says no more than a $1K deposit.

[@sopascat7]

.. Hope the clients get Justice & the owner of Anchor Tiny Homes goes to Prison for a very long time.

[@-.-_123]

Sue immediately.

[@Zorbino88]

Since the Anchor company is considering bankruptcy, it's unlikely that this family will receive all of the money back that they lost.

[@Enufalready771]

​@@Zorbino88they will if they can show fraud.

[@-.-_123]

It looks like the owner may face criminal charges as an investigation is underway.

[@aviation11000]

The only shot these people have in getting their money back is if the FBI gets involved

[@CharlieZelenoff-gf3vj]

Fraud! Fraud! Fraud!! All those people should be in prison!!!

[@RacerX1971]

Sounds like a narcissist

[@chasingsunsets87]

More like a psychopath. Psychopaths have narcissism in them but they leave a trail of destruction and get off on it

[@cptbaker]

Why did that COO not report the company immediately to the authorities if he saw them doing something illegal?

[@MrPhlypc]

Didn’t want to be involved in a lawsuit

[@RaymondHng]

ADU = Accessory Dwelling Unit

[@JS-yj4rb]

2 car garage.

[@uheRRRRRR]

What's going on at the southern border and Korea to give this man PTSD?

[@Diesel-ER899]

Ikr😂😂

[@altonsteel5145]

Moral of the story never ever link your bank account to a Builder ! I have to approve all bank transfers as well what bank did they use ?

[@New-bw4kz]

People need to stop this so called gurus online

[@jeffalvich9434]

#1 Rule- Never give anyone access to your bank accounts! Even if they are honest on day 1, the company can be sold and the new owners can be ruthless or someone may have an employee go rogue.... or a hacker may access the builders account and use "back-door" tactics to access yours...... just not a good idea!!!!! Also it is ALWAYS a good idea to set your financial accounts up to require an electronic approval by yourself if a check or $ transfer exceeds X amount (the dollar amount to be set by you, based on what you are comfortable with)

[@ShawnCarvin]

What an absolute travesty this company is investigated is brushing the surface on what these people had to go through with these fraudulent builders

[@sweepingdenver]

When I saw this video title show up in my list I was surprised it used the word “steal” as news broadcasts rarely go that far when describing failed businesses. Then I got to the part about the bank transfers. 😵

[@LordVader5738]

$315K for a tiny house is INSANE. The rest is just absurd to be honest. I feel bad for them.

[@user-yp9nz6bs9q]

How much would a legal consultation cost before you sign the document?

[@nettg.1418]

a fraudulent case lawsuit needs to be in this mess. Someone just taking the money out of their Bank account where the money going why did they refund those customers. I would buy nothing from them Bad business going down.

[@WeylandLabs]

Next Story: Same thing but no accountability - Starts "Tiny Home" Business tomorrow 😂

[@bomorris5050]

I actually want to know how a 100% disabled veteran has $221,000 sitting in his account to be taken. Asking as a 100% disabled veteran myself!!!!!

[@TheJonpruitt]

this is fake news! its not real! i hope you can see that.

[@cachecow]

I can't believe all these people are so naive as to give someone access to their bank account, or pay so much up front without milestones to hit A fool and his money are easily separated

[@vndragonslayer1]

only in california where you can legally steal from people. thanks newsom

[@unknownerorr2740]

Keep investigating!

[@MathieuCastro]

They already deleted most of their social media accounts and stopped service to all of their phones numbers. They're not going to be talking to anyone, probably the only time we'll hear from them again is in court.

[@UpUpDnDnLtRtLtRtBAStart]

The contractor is Anchored Tiny Homes

[@efemdesign]

wow. That was a dumb move by the home owner. direct bank account link!

[@jrizzle3124]

How incompetent are you to just give your bank account to anyone. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@realry329]

These are hackers/scammers. Not builders.

[@ALL2BWell]

It's hard to fathom how this could happen. There are currently some other "Tiny Home" outfits that have done this exact same thing. Many have been ripped off. In my county, it's a known that good, professional contractors who do total builds, to large scale remodels, to small jobs, are VERY booked up for many weeks to many months, so WHY would good Builders need an outfit like this to help them get work? IF I understand their business model, he's just a middleman, supposedly bringing Builders and customers together. He is or was also selling franchises not just in Calif but around the country. Go direct to a reputable builder-contractor with good local references. Verify sufficient funds to cover the project and pay a good-faith deposit via an escrow account for this is so similar to buying a house. Both the customer and the builder need protections and a legal contract and an escrow account where funds are paid from per written contractual milestones.

[@bandido7994]

ANCHORED tiny home. Could you do the same with a large Tuff Shed or other similar prefab structure? A 12 ft. x 24 ft. Garage Wood Storage Shed at Home Depot will cost $4500 plus installation, shipping and handling, taxes, fees etc. Add a few mods and still it may cost you no more than $50K. But it is the Bay Area, so probably zoning laws and environmental impact on the lives of earthworms may not make it possible.

[@Truelib99Hobbes]

The contractor was just hungry, trying to feed his family. Give him a hug and drop any charges.

[@indigostaraz]

I can hear Stacy Keach narrating the American Greed episode right now.

[@pappadudat]

Go ahead and say it dude, something wrong with this COUNTRY

[@P8860]

on the tip of his tongue

[@mikecohen2400]

You should never give anyone access to your bank account, that should have set off alarm bells from the start, this goes double for contractors, they get paid in draws as sections of the work is completed, large upfront payments should be a warning sign, of a guy not to deal with.

[@Tone58]

We gave them $22k for a tiny home in jan 21, they did send us a completely screwed up poorly constructed tiny home that is also overweight for its trailer. We sued in Nov 2021 but nothing has happened.

[@combatvolta]

This is a crime

[@kimberlyvalpey7158]

Omg. This is disgusting and this man cannot and must not get away with this. 😢

[@BetterTextLex]

It seemed smart to link the contractor to their bank account? I’ve never seen anyone in the construction industry, owners, GCs, or subs, do that on a project. Also, a price of $337K to build an accessory dwelling unit seems insane and I am in NY. Initial payments totaling $90K for drawings and permits is even more insane. These folks definitely got swindled.

[@bizkit81]

I can’t believe there are still people doing stupid crap like that! YOU NEVER LET PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT!!!! WTH

[@charlesbusch8739]

Time to change the LLC laws to protect deposits or thefts and make owners liable? Owners salaries should be allowed to be clawed back if excesive?

[@machineman7806]

330,000 house on full disability, from working the border. Who's the scam artist

[@wampastompastomp]

My thoughts too.

[@Zhcwu]

Maybe his wife is loaded....

[@Blue_Star_flyer]

and only $220K in retirement plus has a new baby.

[@GLOBALALLIANCE]

When I built my pool 15 years ago. I did all my due diligence check contractors license and yelp's most importantly I never paid for work in advance period. These folks were gullible and that's why they got taken to the cleaners. Sad😢

[@777_ATM]

Former COO should have raised red flags with law enforcement and state department. Former COO has an obligation, should be investigated as well.

[@albeit1]

“Just take anything you need out whenever you want. We don’t need to know or approve.” Why would anyone do that?

[@Sportfury4400]

Why would anyone give access to someone to their bank account?

[@charleskimson2288]

I hope these people somehow get their money back. This breaks my heart.

[@evanmurphey]

Scam Francisco? Can’t believe y’all didn’t see this coming

[@roachtoasties]

This stinks. It's grand theft times at least 100. It's too late now, but if you're going to link your bank account to make payments, use a bank account with a small amount of money in it (enough for expected expenses) then transfer money in it as needed. Leaving $300,000 in the account is too tempting for some.

[@PatrickBaptist]

Who gives someone else access to their bank account, atleast it was a vet and not some old lady.

[@airmaxx1931]

Sorry for the families but MONEY UPFRONT FOR A TINY HOME IS A RED FLAG FOR SCAM. ALL THE PEOPLE WHO GOT SCAMMED PROBABLY WERE SMART BUT NOT STREET SMART. I HOPE THE LAW AND KARMA GETS THE SCAMMER .Or a MAD MF who got his money GAFFLED

[@Chipsvid]

In some cases, they hired subcontractors to do then work, then billed customers for the work but then didn’t pay the subcontractors, effectively putting both parties out of money.

[@daniellebaute5751]

My family is one of those “not street smart people”. They prayed on vulnerable people like elderly (my mom) and disabled (this guy). He didn’t mention it but he has health problems associated with his service and almost didnt realize what was happening. Check yourself before you start accusing people of not being street smart. Guys like this will get it away it forever because there will always be someone to sign up for stuff like this. They were really good with marketing and making them seem like a legitimate company. It was just customers that were scammed, contractors and employees are out too

[@jyc313]

Money up front in many situations is scammy.

[@LivingWithGout]

We need to lower the bar for criminal negligence.

[@philliplewis3754]

The bank is complicit, they allowed this to happen!

[@santosrojas9610]

That Contractor Needs To Be Held Responsible For Theft,Sent To Prison, Most Cases Like This People Are Sent To Prison,He Scammed Many People

[@juanjosechan-o8b]

Home owner must require to the contractors A performance bond, also known as a contract bond, is a financial guarantee that a contractor will complete a project in accordance with the contract's specifications. It protects the project owner, or obligee, if the contractor, or principal, defaults on their obligations. Performance bonds are usually issued by banks or insurance companies and are common in the construction industry.

[@joshuapaul349]

Remember, this is the land that considers bees aquatic animals.

[@AbelSFR]

Why didn’t Chris report anchor of its business practices before leaving?

[@M2ProMBP]

I don’t even realize people kept 200k in bank accounts. Must be nice. Hope they get their funds back.

[@patmcbride9853]

Never pay more up front than required by law. Never give someone access to your bank account unless the account is only filled with enough money to meet current bills. If contractors know they are not going to be able to deliver what they are taking money for, they should go to prison.

[@DMS20231]

Let a merchant have direct access to your bank account? What kind of idiocy is that??

[@sasham1280]

Why did the bank let those withdrawals through, isn’t that a red flag, isn’t there some kind of system in place to prevent that?

[@tommielee8]

Naw ..the bank had to deliver. He linked his bank account to the builders' company. Um...yeah.

[@eattherich9215]

Don't allow the contractor to declare bankruptcy. The COO knew the company was dirty, but jumped ship instead of warning would be customers or blowing the whistle. Shame on him, too.

[@charly3575]

This is an old building scam. In my grandmother’s day, when she built an addition to her home and re-roofed, the contractor agreed to do a certain amount of work, started it, demanded payments for supplies, and never finished the job for months upon end. When questioned, the contractor said the contract never had a “time schedule to complete the job” on it so by law, they can take as long they want. Well my granny was a pretty tough, OG boss and she spoke to a union carpenter friend. This carpenter spoke to the contractor and the work was finished in the few next weeks. Yep, then the company changed their name so others could not chase their defunct company. Scammers haven’t changed much, in fact, they’ve gotten more and more clever.

[@212days]

Get those criminals in jail and sort things out while they are in there. That's just straight up THEFT.

[@davidcantor293]

Allowing a business to have access to your bank account is insane lol!

[@ac4498]

The USUAL suspects!

[@samhavoc1066]

They should've challenged the payments immediately. While this contractor is a thief, people have a responsibility to manage their money properly.

[@jerryfacts9749]

NEVER allow someone to have access to your bank account! If they demand access, then move on to another contractor.