With cases of fraud on the rise, it might be comforting to some that police are taking action.
This is what happened when scammer Joseph Tyler was sentenced to 8 years in prison in March 2024 after defrauding mostly senior people from their money.
Tyler Claimed To Do Garden Services
Tyler set up a fake business that claimed he carried out gardening services.
The Longmont Leader reported that this was mostly tree-trimming and general home improvement services.
Tyler Didn’t Work Alone
Tyler wasn’t the only one working on this business; he got his wife, Amelia Tyler, in on it too.
Between them, they would go to senior people’s homes, claiming to offer a service that was never carried out.
They Asked for the Payment Upfront
KKTV reported that the husband-and-wife duo would ask for the payment upfront before any work had been done.
Amelia would then deposit the cash or cheque while Joseph trimmed a few tree branches. Once the money was in, she would pick him up and claim they had to go and pick something up, only to never return.
Amelia and Joseph Got Away With the Scam for Years
The scam was carried out throughout various counties within Colorado, including El Paso, Denver, and Jefferson.
They first started the scam in February 2020, ending in October 2022.
Joseph Didn’t Have a Permit
Paschal states that a permit is required for tradespersons to carry out work.
So, it may come as no surprise to some that Joseph did not have a permit to carry out the work and was likely untrained for it as well.
One Woman Lost $100,000
1819 News reported on a woman, Virginia Cannon, who got caught up in the scam.
Some work was started on her home, but it ended up causing further damage. When Joseph didn’t return, Cannon repeatedly called him until he eventually returned just $20,000 of the stolen money.
Joseph Has Been in Prison Previously
This isn’t Joseph’s first time in prison, as he was previously sentenced in 2013.
CBS News reported that he went to prison for three years after he failed to register as a sex offender.
There Were at Least 50 Victims
The police believe that Joseph and Amelia have conned at least 50 people out of their money.
Many of their victims were of an older age, with most of them being at least 50 years old.
Amelia Served a Year in Jail
Amelia cooperated with the prosecutors and pleaded guilty to her crimes.
Yahoo! News reported that as a result, she was sentenced to a year in jail which she has already served. She is now on a three-year probation intensive residential program.
Joseph Will Serve 8 Years
As he didn’t cooperate, Joseph was sentenced to 8 years in prison.
He was also ordered to pay just $23,000 in restitution.
ElderWatch Helps Recognize Scammers
AARP ElderWatch has been set up to help elderly people recognize fraudulent behavior.
Volunteers are on hand to help elderly people recognize, refuse, and report fraud and scams.
