It was the end of 2015, approximately three years after Hurricane Sandy, an historical storm that caused a lot of damage to thousands of homes.  Although most professional contractors went out to make an honest living by helping people in need during this time, you couldn't help hearing or reading about unscrupulous characters posing as contractors ripping off homeowners desperate to put their lives back together.

A friend called to ask if I could take a ride to his elderly mother in-laws home to do a few small projects.  He mentioned she hired a "contractor" to do a small kitchen remodel and once she gave him the deposit (approx. $10k), the "contractor" never came back and after reaching this individual after numerous attempts, she was threatened.  Due to being threated, my friends mother in-law was terrified to have anyone in her home afterwards, which is why he asked me to come with him.

Witnessing the impact first hand was eye opening.  It made me think about all the other people I heard about who gotten scammed the past few years after Hurricane Sandy and how it must of impacted their lives during their time of need.