Imagine you got picked to be on the wildly popular TV show “Property Brothers,” only to find out… that wasn’t really the case. Someone is just trying to get your money.
An Aurora, Colorado, couple said that’s what happened to them and a similar scam is happening all over the country.
“I’m a big fan of the “Property Brothers” and all of their shows,” said Lisa Hartman, who also follows them on Facebook, posting last week that she wishes they would come to Colorado and help update her home so she can sell it.
That’s when she got a message from someone claiming to work for “Property Brothers” asking if she still wanted her home renovated.
“When I first saw the message, I got really, really, excited,” said Hartman. “And I was like, ‘Oh, my God. How am I going to explain this to Keith, my husband? Is he going to want to do it?'”
Keith Hartman said he couldn’t believe they had been chosen, at first.
“I always have a cricket on my shoulder about what’s a scam and what’s not,” he said.
While the contract looked official, they started to notice some red flags. The contract had the wrong couple’s name on it and demanded money up front. The Facebook messages got more and more urgent and had worse and worse grammar.
When they started to get suspicious, the person sent a “Property Brothers” ID badge as proof, but the word “Title” was misspelled as “Tittle.”
The Property Brothers posted a warning about the scam last month on their Facebook page.
HGTV has also warned about the scammers on its website, stating:
“Please be careful of solicitations offering free home makeovers. If you believe that you’ve been contacted by an HGTV representative, you can confirm the authenticity of the communication by sending your name along with a scan of the letter or email you received to [email protected]. No other inquiries or solicitations will be addressed via this email account.”
It turns out this scam has been going on for years, targeting people all over the country.
“Now, I just feel so disappointed. I feel so almost betrayed,” said Lisa Hartman, who said they sent personal information and photographs before they realized it was a scam, but they didn’t send any money.
“We feel heartbroken, but at least we’re not flat broke, and we don’t want it to happen to anyone else,” said Keith Hartman.
Scripps News delivers compelling, context-driven news, fact-based reporting and a deeper look at the "why" of each story with objective, impactful storytelling. Scripps News is available over-the-air 24/7 and on leading connected TV platforms. More.
