Home Depot¡¯s Contractors Instructed to Intentionally Inflate Estimates, Charge For Items Not Installed

KNBC in Los Angeles is investigating a nationwide epidemic of fraud being perpetrated by Home Depot. Is it that bad? Yeah, it¡¯s that bad. From KNBC:

Now, NBC4 has heard from customers in 22 states and from insiders from across the country, who have given NBC4 a paper trail of internal documents, suggesting the company overcharges customers on window and siding installations, kitchen remodels and on roofing jobs.¡±

KNBC brought in an expert to inspect the work Home Depot had done on one customer¡¯s roof. He found that new flashings costing over $1,000, shown on the customer¡¯s receipt, were never installed. According to KNBC, these aren¡¯t simple mistakes, they¡¯re systematic and intentional.

¡°I¡¯ve been taught and trained to rip-off customers,¡± says a former employee for US Home Systems, a nationwide subcontractor that sells refacing jobs for Home Depot. NBC4 spoke with numerous employees of the company.
¡°You were told to intentionally inflate the estimate,¡± Grover asked the former employees.

¡°Correct,¡± they replied.

If a job came in on budget, the customer was supposed to receive money back. But the insiders showed NBC4 documents proving some customers didn¡¯t get money back.

¡°How often did customers not get back money they were owed,¡± Grover asked the insiders.

¡°A hundred percent of the time,¡± one insider replied.

¡°Are you saying thousands of people have been ripped off,¡± Grover asked.

¡°Yes,¡± the insiders replied.

The good news is: Home Depot is offering to make good with ANY customer who contacts them through KNBC. Nationwide. If Home Depot¡¯s contractors have ripped you off, click here to contact KNBC!