House invoice scam leaves couple $53k out of pocket
A retired couple have been left $53,000 out of pocket after they made a payment on their dream home – only to find the invoice they thought their builder had sent was in fact from a scammer.
Ross and Judy Charlton had hoped to move into their new Feilding home debt-free this week, but will now have to pay off a mortgage while living off government superannuation.
“We were going to retire with a new house and car. Now we have a $20k mortgage and that basically leaves us with not much money at all.”
GJ Gardner began work on the couple’s new house in February, and in early April the couple received the first invoice purporting to be from the company, for $53,000 with seven days to pay.
