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🔧🚨😱 承包商詐騙常見手法：孫水管 × 趙畫圖 × 陳包商 Common Contractor Scams: Lessons from Mr. Sun the Plumber, Mr. Zhao the Designer & Mr. Chen the Contractor

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承包商詐騙常見手法 🧰🚧｜以孫水管 × 趙畫圖 × 陳包商為例

在美國做房屋維修、改建、或違建消除（violation removal），最怕遇到的不是工程延誤，而是──承包商詐騙。

以下我以我親身遇過的三位「角色」來分享，全部使用化名：

  • 孫水管：自稱有裝修公司、其實沒有保險，還想透過我來賺轉包費。
  • 趙畫圖：收錢畫圖、但送件兩次被退件，還不知道怎麼上傳文件。
  • 陳包商：先拆窗戶讓你被迫施工、工地變他工具倉庫、做一半就消失。

這三種人你以後只要遇到任一個，99% 都是詐騙或高風險。

🚨 一、承包商常見詐騙手法（基於真實案例）

  1. 先收錢、再拖延 —— 例如收了訂金後，告訴你「市政府很慢」「等租客搬走」，實際上沒開始做。
  2. 先拆後逼 —— 像陳包商先拆窗戶，讓你無法不做；這是非常典型的「強迫施工」。
  3. 沒有保險卻要接工程 —— 孫水管沒有 liability insurance、沒有 worker’s comp，卻還想施工。
  4. 畫圖送件不專業 —— 趙畫圖送件兩次被退，還不知道怎麼操作 NYC DOB 系統。
  5. 估價差距大、不給書面報價 —— 30 萬～80 萬都有，還有人不給正式 quotation。
  6. 用恐嚇方式推銷加項 —— 說什麼「不做會出大事」「鄰居會檢舉」「保險不保」來嚇你。
  7. 想租你房子當交換條件 —— 孫水管還想要我以後把房子租給他… 這也非常不專業。

🛑 二、改建前屋主必問的 10 個問題

  1. 你有 license number 嗎？可否查詢？
  2. 有 liability insurance 嗎？保額多少？
  3. 有 worker’s compensation（工傷）嗎？
  4. 可否提供 COI（保險證明）？
  5. 你會用誰來施工？是員工還是外包？
  6. 正式書面報價（quote）在哪裡？
  7. 工程內容、材料、品牌是否寫在合約？
  8. 付款方式？是否「做完再付」？
  9. 是否會處理 permit / violation removal？怎麼處理？
  10. 完工後是否提供照片、保固、收據？

💡 三、房東永遠要記住的三句話

  • 沒有保險 = 不能施工。
  • 先拆 = 詐騙警訊。
  • 越急著要你付錢的人，越不能信。

希望大家不要再遇到孫水管、趙畫圖、陳包商類型的人。保護好自己的房子，就是保護好自己的安全與資產。

🧱 Common Contractor Scams
Mr. Sun-the-Plumber × Mr. Zhao-the-Designer × Mr. Chen-the-Contractor

This article is not a textbook — it’s a collection of real lessons from my own landlord journey in New York.
I’ve dealt with three classic contractor personalities:

  • 🧰 Mr. Sun-the-Plumber: great at unclogging pipes, terrible at paperwork, zero insurance.
  • 📐 Mr. Zhao-the-Designer: quick to collect money, slow to file permits, submits incomplete documents.
  • 🔨 Mr. Chen-the-Contractor: removes your windows before replacements arrive — to force you to stay with him.

❌ 1. The “Deposit First” Trick

They ask for a big deposit because “materials need to be ordered.”
Reality: nothing gets ordered.

❌ 2. Blaming the City for Their Own Delay

“DOB is slow.”
No — YOU didn’t upload the documents.

❌ 3. Taking Advantage of Out-of-Town Owners

If you don’t live in the area, you can’t monitor the work.
Scammers love that.

❌ 4. No Insurance but Still Takes Big Jobs

If their workers get hurt, YOU pay.
No insurance = your financial disaster.

❌ 5. The Half-Done Vanish

They disappear mid-project, then demand more money to return.

📝 10 Questions Every Homeowner Should Ask Before Hiring

  1. Are you licensed? What is your license number?
  2. Do you carry General Liability? What’s the limit? ($1M/$2M recommended)
  3. Do you have Workers’ Compensation?
  4. Can you list me as “additional insured” on your COI?
  5. Have you done similar projects? Any photos?
  6. Will you provide a written contract and itemized pricing?
  7. How much is the deposit?
  8. Who handles the permits?
  9. What is the project timeline?
  10. Is final payment only after completion?

💡 Final Advice: Be Kind, Not Blind

There are good contractors out there — but also many who prey on immigrant homeowners who fear paperwork, language barriers, or confrontation.

You’re the paying customer. You have the right to demand professionalism, insurance, documentation, transparency, and progress. Always.