An Omaha man, out on bail, is allegedly scamming others looking to build a new deck. Experts say there are things you can do to protect yourself.
The Better Business Bureau says over the last 10 years they've received 30 compliant about Ross Sherwood. They say he takes thousands of dollars to build a deck up-front only to never complete the work or never start it.
Sherwood is currently out on bond for two separate felony theft chargesand other victims say he scammed them as recently as May and June.
The BBB says customers need to research the company name and the owners, look at reviews and complaints from a trusted site before making a decision. You can also contact previous customers.
"Our customer reviews are absolutely verified so I think you can have some assurance that that review being posted is in fact being posted from a customer it's not a competitor, and it's again been certified and verified by us," said Jim Hegarty, President of the Better Business Bureau of Nebraska, SW Iowa, South Dakota, and Great Plains Kansas.
Sherwood has represented himself under multiple company names.
The BBB doesn't recommend people put down half the payment of a full job. A deck builder tell KMTV that you can ask to cover the initial material costs, or ask for a labor estimate if you're willing to get the material yourself.
