Although aware she was about to act illegally, a Judiciary employee desperate to acquire her own home succumbed to promises from a third party that a $5,000 downpayment could make it a reality.
It’s now been ten years since she made that first “instalment” for a Housing Development Corporation (HDC) home yet the St Augustine woman is still waiting for it. She has since paid a second $5,000 instalment, bringing her total losses to $10,000.
Requesting that her real name be withheld at this time, Kimberly Phipps* is still holding out hope she will be reimbursed by the woman (name called) she now believes is a con artist pretending to be employed at the HDC.
Phipps recalled meeting the scammer through a teacher in 2009/2010. She said she met a friend, a teacher, who knew the woman.
“I don’t have a child or husband and knew it was going to be difficult for me to get a house. I knew money would have to pass and all that, I was kind of sceptical but I said let me take a chance.”
Phipps was instructed to meet with a friend of the alleged official in San Juan, where she handed over the $5,000 on a street corner—and did not actually meet the scammer until the initial payment had been made.
She said, “Eventually I got the name of the woman who was said to be working at the HDC and started liaising with her on the phone. I met her a couple of times and we became a little friendly…not close friends but we would meet and get a bite to eat, and she would give me little updates with what is going on with the application.”
During this time, Phipps said she was encouraged to bring in others who were desirous of owning an HDC home.
Her recruitment drive began with her sister and four friends from work who also spoke directly with the scammer.
They all went through the same process between 2009 and 2010. But all her friends eventually became disenchanted and began demanding their money back.
Phipps said she has also not yet reported the matter to the police because she knows what she did was wrong and may be charged, lose her job or even her life over the issue.
Contacted on the matter, however, HDC’s Managing Director Brent Lyons advised that the matter should be reported to the police. In addition, Lyons was able to confirm that the alleged scammer was not employed at the HDC.
The HDC recently started a housing stock audit after reports that several people had been living at the Greenvale, La Horequetta development illegally. The situation was discovered after HDC employees started a mobilisation drive to help tenants who were affected by flooding in October. At least one of the families involved claimed to have acquired the house through the assistance of a Minister of Housing employee who has since been fired.
Also contacted on the issue, Police Commissioner Gary Griffith said he cannot act until a formal report is filed.
When the Sunday Guardian contacted the alleged scammer the woman denied she worked at the HDC.
Instead, she claimed, “You must have me confused with someone else.”
After disconnecting the call, the scammer called Guardian Media Limited’s office and demanded to know who had referred her. Again she denied she was involved in this matter and once again hung up.
* The fictitious name was created to protect the identity of the woman involved.
