Elderly Victim Scammed by Man Posing as Mechanic

An elderly Leisure World resident was duped out of nearly $4,000 by a Washington, D.C., man who posed as a mechanic, but police say he did no work on the woman’s car.

Montgomery County authorities charged Michael Adams, 34, of the 5200 block of Georgia Avenue in Washington, D.C., with intent to knowingly and willfully obtain and deprive a vulnerable adult of property by deception, intimidation, and undue influence.

On March 28, the 89-year-old victim was approached by Adams in the shopping center adjacent to Leisure World. He offered to paint a small scratch on the victim’s vehicle for $100.

Adams also told the victim that her car required a new part. The victim and Adams agreed to meet the following week in the same parking lot and Adams would paint the scratch on the car.

Over the next two months, Adams and the victim met on several occasions in the parking lot of the Aspen Hill Home Depot so the repair work could be completed. During each meeting, Adams increased the price of the repairs, police say.

On May 1, Adams and the victim met in the shopping center parking lot located near Leisure World. Police say Adams very angrily demanded $5,000 for supposed repairs. The victim, who was “scared to death,” withdrew about $5,000 from various local banks and purchased about $3,950 in gift cards to give Adams as payment.

Adams is not a certified mechanic and is not licensed to perform auto-repair work in Maryland. An inspection of the victim’s vehicle performed by a local, certified repair shop revealed that no repair work had been done and Adams did not install new parts. The mechanics said the victim’s car required about $460 in repairs.

Authorities are reminding residents of the signs of potential scammersand the Office of Consumer Protection advises residents to only use licensed mechanics. Be cautious of door-to-door and parking lot solicitors. If you encounter people who do not seem to provide a legitimate and legal service, call police.

Also, be mindful of senior family members and neighbors, who may be more vulnerable to these types of scams. Report suspicious activity to the police.

»PHOTO: Michael Adams of Washington, D.C., has been charged with intimidating an elderly woman to pay for car repairs he did not make. Credit: Montgomery County Police