Yeah, ripped of news, need advice so you don't happen.
Come running just as as as we can. Shooter's gonna help.
Come man, This is the Troubleshooter Show now, Tom Martine, Hello.
Tom Martino here, Welcome to the show. What is going on in your life?
So?
What have we got going on here? Today? We got a lot happening, and it's really important to go over some of the stuff that we've had so we don't repeat the same problem. We've had a number of problems that keep coming up over and over and over, and I think one of the reasons is because of the economy and people trying to economize and how much of it has to do with trying to save money on cars. So we can talk a little bit about that and
not just buying cars, but repairing cars. Now, today's not car day, but these are things worth mentioning that we've had problems with. Also, I want to remind you you can call or text us at any time. If you text me, I'll get it next time I log on or whenever it comes in, and you can text us at two numbers. Put Tom in the subject. By the way, this iHeart texting thing. Just so you know, you can really text at any time. And then what you can do is put my name in there and when I
get here, I'll see it. So even if you're texting during another show, it won't go to them if their name's not there. They'll only filter by their name. So that's going to be fine, right, So it's five seven seven three nine. Put Tom there if you want to get something to me. And for example, this was texted during another show. It to me when I logged on, Uh Tom, You guys mentioned a VW beetle and somebody said it was so small you could push to start it.
This guy says on some of the old Beatles there was a pulley on the crank shaft that was set up so you could rope start it. Come on, is that true? Rope starting anyway? Three all three seven one three talks seven one three eight two five five. So some of the notable things going on with repairs is paying money up front for a repair, also not having
in writing exactly what the repair entails. I've always said when it comes to and by the way, our number three oh three Martino as well, you call twenty four seven three oh three six two seven eight four sixty six or three all three seven one three talks seven one three A two five five now texting me, uh, I gave you the iHeart number. Let me give you my personal Google number and that is seven four seven fifty two eighty seven four seven nine nine nine fifty
two eighty. So if you text there, it comes right through here to me. Personally. You don't have to put anything there because it's only my phone and you can text me questions, problems, complaints, or just to comment about the show as well. So as I was saying, when it comes to repairs of a car, you actually would not believe how many people take a car in and they have a complaint, but they don't specify in the complaint,
in the invoice what is to be done. They put money down, they they blindly give money up front and not specify what's to be done. For example, when you take a car in for a repair and it has a problem, the battery doesn't charge, and they say, we're gonna do this, or we're gonna do that, put on the invoice or on the work order, will replace voltage regulator, or will replace alternator, or will replace battery, or we'll
replace so and so to correct charging problem. Now, why would you do that, because it kind of sets up a mini contract. Now, it's not fail safe, but it is kind of a mini contract where you can actually say you didn't do what you said. Now, obviously, if you need more than one part, there's nothing wrong with paying for it. That's why another thing you should do. Save all old parts. Now, in some cases you have
to pay what's called the core charge. So if you need an alternator, you may be charged more if you want them to save that, it's called a core charge, or they exchange it. In those cases, use your best judgment, or you can delay the core charge, or excuse me, delay the core refund until you have a chance to examine it. If there is ever a question, so you put down the problem, will correct charging problem, or will replace this to correct charging problem? Please save old parts.
Those things can help you. Now, most of the time, with reputable shops, you're not going to have too much of a problem. But these help ferret out the shops that are kind of suspect. They know at least you're looking and minding the store, so it gives them pause before they think about just hunting and pecking when you put down the problem to be corrected. Let's talk to Tracy,
who has an issue with a car accident. By the way, our number again three oh three Martino three oh three six two seven, eight four sixty six or three oh three seven to one to three. Talk Tracy. What's happening with you today? What's going on? Tracy?
Hey, hey, good morning. I was I was rear ended a very very minor accident. We were already stopped at a light and the lady behind me started up.
Immediately.
Okay, can hit me in the rear in at five miles an hour maybe ten at the most. So it's okay, minor damage. The it's so her insurance obviously should cover it. And it's state farm insurance. They sent me to a state farm repair place.
You know. Yeah, you didn't have to do that, by the way, but right, you know. The body shops, let me explain this. Body shops have what's called preferred shops. Now, some people think, well, that's a preferred screw shop. Sometimes it is what what a preferred shop will do that a shop you hire will not do. A preferred shop will try to make it as economical as they can for the insurance company. That's all you have to keep in mind, keep going what happened?
So they sent they sent me to two places, and both places said, well, they're going to total this.
Car because that was wait, whoa, wha, whoah, it was just a tiny What kind of car do you have?
It's a two thousand and one Mercedes SLK, which is a little cha and it.
Has a two thousand and one Mercedes what it's the Benz which model s S l K? I love those things.
Oh, it is so cute.
I love it.
I love them, I absolutely love them.
It's a fabulous car. It has less than one hundred thousand miles on it.
What are you kidding me? Wow, it's Mike, what a beautiful what a beautiful little car? Listen, have you had it privately assessed as to what it will take to fix it, because sometimes you can make a settlement and keep and just keep the car and fix it.
Well, I'm actually en route as we and we're speaking. I'm in Root.
Were you made an offer for the car?
First of all, no, here's the damage. The second place said the damage was sixty one hundred dollars and that that would probably be considered totally. The insurance company called me. They said it's totaled and I was like, no, no, no, no, no, it's worth way more than sixty one hundred dollars. And she said, well, no, according to our third party that we hire to do these evaluations, it's worth less than that. And she didn't say so much. She just said, you're
not going to be happy. She said, I'll tell you you're not gonna be happy. And I don't want to tell you how much, because when you have once you know how much, then you only have three days? And't that's it?
Three days a work?
Well, they're making up their own rules, Tracy, Tracy, hang on a second. Okay, First of all, they're making up their own rules. There's no such thing as you only have three days? Are you in a rental car right now? Is that what they maybe they mean they'll withdraw their rental car? What do they mean you only have three days? These idiots? Is this the person from State Farm talking to you? Yes? Hang on, okay, hang on, I'm gonna come back to you. Three oh three seven one three
talks seven one three eight two five five. Don't be taking advantage of like this. This sucks By the way Waterpros dot net the best water systems, the lowest prices anywhere. I enjoy drinking water and great coffee because of that filtered water triple filter reverse osmosis for only fourteen hundred bucks fully installed three O three eight six two five, five five four. Go with a sure thing Denver's best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent
until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free no obligation comparison call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out Now three O three seven to seven to one help. You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three oh three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Hi Tom Martino, your troubleshooter three O three seven one
three talks seven one three eight five five. One of the best places I find to price cars is the open market. So I go to some of these sites, especially at cars dot com. It's a huge site, and what they do is they show comps, and they show what cars have sold for and they show car faxes and everything on similar cars. So I plug in this car and I'm getting about what you I'm dying to know. What is it? Someone please tell me what kind of Oh it's a shady it's a two thousand, it's a
two thousand and one Mercedes Benz SLK. And now which it's got, Well, exactly how many miles on its? Sister? Tracey ninety? Yeah, so one hundred thousand or less. I plugged in and it's worth let's see, let's put it this way. Yes, it can be worth anywhere from eight eight to twelve if it has way less miles different. What model is it? Is it a three twenty?
No, No, it's it's a two thirty. Well, okay, a little less expensive.
Right, it's getting close, it's getting close. But listen, if you can find a comp that you agree with, do you understand.
A cop would be one you sold? Now what it's up for sale?
That's that's right. Yeah, these tracks, some of those based on what they call great deals, or those trackers are based on sales, so they say great deal, bad deal, good deal. Hers would be much less than twelve then, because of the smaller engine and a little higher knowledge than I'm looking at. So, Tracy, what did they offer anything yet? No?
Because she said, once she makes the offer, I have only three days.
Well you don't have three days? That that's this bull crap. I don't even Oh so what happens if you don't settle in the three days? They take the offer away? I mean, come on, here's the deal, Tracy. Did you you actually have to have it? Did you have it assessed by your own body shop?
No?
I'm going to an independent body shop right now, a state.
Let's say, here's the problem. Oh my god, this problem comes up. What if we jeez, if if it can be fixed for sixty one hundred, what would you do? What if it's a six thousand dollars damage? Huh?
I would have I would.
Have it fixed.
Okay, Now here's the problem. If the car is worth truly, let's say the car's worth four thousand, okay, what's.
Worth before it was hit?
It would be I could have sold it myself on the street at that and any at any moment for at least seventy.
Five hundred at least.
I don't think so. But if you think so, okay, oh well okay, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, no, no, no, seventy five hundred might be okay, yeah, yeah, you're right, you're probably right.
If we could get petty, if we could get Petty details on, we can get her a number for free.
But it is what it is. Whatever the number is. So let's say this. Let's say it's seventy five hundred. Okay, yeah, Now, let's say they offer you seventy five hundred. Would you take it, plus they have to throw in sales tax? Would you take it? You wouldn't even take it? Okay, you would? Okay, I say so, let's say seventy five hundred now minus six thousand to fix it. Okay. If you want to buy that back and they offer you seventy five hundred, what will they buy it back for
salvage value? Okay, you'd have to probably pay you'd probably have to pay them twenty five hundred minimum.
Well me, you know, then i'd have a title that's salvage title on it.
Hold on, you can't, you can't help it. They're not going to do it any other way. Okay. You're not going to resell the car anyway, are you? If you are, then don't don't bother doing what you're gonna do if you're gonna sell it. So what difference does a salvage title make to you?
When I was a kid, I bought a car with a salvage title on it, and I learned my lesson in that you can't get you can't get insurance on it.
Yeah you can, you can get liability and all that, But you don't want collision coverage on this car. Do you have collision coverage on this car?
No?
Then what different that's the kind of insurance you can't get. You can get liability insurance.
Of course, yes, But well then why didn't you just you just said, you just said you don't want to do this with a salvage value because you can't get insurance, I am.
Telling you, And and it is so difficult to sell a car with a salvage title.
Well, here's what I'm saying. If you plan on selling this car, then don't do what you're about to do.
Right.
If I plan on keeping it until I die, then it's okay, it doesn't matter.
But I mean, I'm just going to give you the numbers. You do whatever you want, Okay, math doesn't lie. I'm just going to do it. If it's worth seventy five, and you can argue for that, which I don't think you can. But let's say you can. Well, well, no, it's not that unreasonable. Let's put it this way. So if it's seventy five you take, you give twenty five hundred for salvage, you get five thousand dollars net. They hand you a five thousand dollars check. You're gonna have
to kick in another thousand to get it fixed. Are you prepared to do that?
I'm sorry, I didn't understand that equation at all.
If the car is worth seventy five hundred, they hand you a check for seventy five hundred and take your car. Now you say to them, I want to fix that car.
They say to you, I have a salvage title.
I'd have to buy it back and have a salvag title. I don't want to do that. I would turn around and buy another one.
Oh okay, break.
Seventy five hundred. Okay, because I gety research, I get it. I can go to Florida, I can go to California. I can find them all over, not Colorado.
Okay, Then here's what you do. Then we argue for seventy five hundred if we can hold on, Let's see if we can, because listen, Tracy, this guy we're gonna get on. He argues for people all day long twenty but you can't make.
It always sue the other person.
Yees, now, now hold on, Doc, I was gonna bring that up. And Tracy, what we call this is the real bad guy. The real bad guy here is not Big Brother, it's not the insurance company. It's her. So let's say she took an asset from you that is now worthless. Right, you have a right to sue for damages, but it's still only gonna be that's right. He's worth that's right. So let's say they offer you six thousand or fifty eight hundred, and you sue her for seventy
five hundred plus sales text. What happens is this, You have to bring to court evidence of what it's worth. You cannot. You cannot just sue because you want more money. What it's worth to you is not what it's worth in the marketplace. But it may be. I mean, it's just not based on your OPO line.
What's that that are for sale online? Considered?
No, not at all. Well, I wouldn't say not at all. You have to call and see if they sold for that. What Mark said before, I could.
List one online right now for one hundred and eighty million zillion dollars and it means nothing.
So so basically it's true. It's what it sells for. That's what petty details is all. And that's what's hard to figure out.
That's why you end up paying someone because you're not going to call up some dealership and they're gonna like give you information on the sales of their vehicles.
It's not going to happen. And sometimes the older they are, the harder they are to find. So hold on, uh kachina, do we have any luck finding petty mister petty on petty details. Hold on, We're gonna try to get them on it right now, Thank you very much, Tracy, hang on. Okay, anyone else can give us a call three oh three seven to one three talk on this or any kind of problem, question or complain three oh three seven one three eight two five five. Remember, value is value is value,
no matter what you think, it's just what it is. Okay, Frank durand the real estate man right now will tell you what your house is worth. Right now. Houses have gone up a bit because interest rates have ticked down, sales have stepped up. Frank Duran will give you a free analysis of your home, what it will sell for, what you'll net, what you can buy. Frank durand the real Estate Man dot com three oh three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Go with a sure thing Denver's
best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free, no obligation. In comparison, call company insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three three seven to seven to one help. You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real Estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three three nine two zero sixteen twenty two.
Hi Tom Martino, your troubleshooter. Well, until we get petty details, we won't go back to this call. There's no sense rehashing it. But it's the age old problem. You're in an accident. What's it worth? And remember the one I want to talk about, the ridiculous one we came up against one time when it comes to pricing cars and buying them back. But at least Tracy's not trying to be silly. She just wants to buy another car, but
she thinks hers is worth seventy five hundred. But we had a guy one time with an old pickup truck that he restored. What wasn't total restoration like a hot rodder anything. It was just a nice car that he had a truck and it was parked in front of his house. Now, this was an old truck. I could look it up, but I don't have the exact details. But it was an old truck, but you know, it didn't have that many miles on it, and he loved it.
Some guy was driving by and smashed into it. Now, the company made him an offer and said, okay, you get twelve hundred dollars for this truck or fifteen hundred. He said, I don't want fifteen I mean I love this truck. I'm going to get it fixed. So he wanted to buy it back. Now you remember Mark, They offered him fifteen hundred. He said, I want to buy it back. They said, well, it'll be about fifteen hundred and salvage. Because when they get that old. That's basically
what they were offering. So he said, what does that mean? And here's in essence what it meant. Think about this. You're at home, minding your own business. Somebody knocks at your door. Mister insurance man says, we destroyed your truck. But guess what you get to keep it. I swear to God that was it. You get to keep it because they offered him fifteen hundred, but he had to pay fifteen hundred to get it. Then he had to get it fixed on top of the fifteen.
So well, in essence, so they were giving him what it was worth fifteen hundred.
Right, and then he was buying it back. You're right, I mean by his decision. Yeah, but basically it's akin to this, Mark, we destroyed your car, you get to keep it. Yeah, I know, it just sounded weird.
You know why because the salvage, the parts value, was probably worth more.
Than the vehicle in a hole. Oh my god. Anyway, Mark, do you remember the thing I see on her vehicle? Though?
Everything I'm on KBB right now, private party, I put good condition, and I have no idea what kind of condition it's in. But you know, you're talking thirty five hundred to six grand.
Mark. I'm not seeing that, man.
I mean, now, like that's that's basically what every dealership uses to value a vehicle.
But I didn't know they went back that far. But all I'm saying is this on on cars dot com. I'm not saying they're the end all, but what they do is based on their own sales. Okay, So they keep data bank of everything on their site that has been sold, or I guess they profess to try to.
And then they compare what is being asked to the market and they claim that this one, which is an O one SLK two point thirty, has seventy thousand miles on it, they want eleven nine or twelve grand, right, and they're saying this is a great deal and it should be. The average is thirteen thousand. So if that's the case, hers with more miles, okay, thirty thousand more, would it be worth that much less? I don't know, but these guys on the marketplace used cars are going
for more than usual. By the way, they do have salvage cars. Now, that's one of the things they're doing on cars dot com. People don't understand that and they literally have salvage vehicles, so you could buy yourself a salvage vehicle and fix it up, and you know what, one of the number one salvage vehicles are on their market going for screams ferraris because no one wants a damage Ferrari. You could actually buy a Ferrari and fix it and be way ahead, but you'll never sell it
to a true officionado. You'd have to keep it. I mean, you truly have to keep it. But it's one of the best deals around because Ferrari people are freaky about cars that have had damage. But did you know that cars dot I sound like a commercial form, but it's kind of cool that they have salvaged a section for salvaged vehicles. Now, so Kitschina helped me out here. Is he not available? Is he calling back? Give me a hint.
I haven't been able to get a hold of him yet, but I'm still working on it.
So you call and leave a message. Is that what you're doing?
And texting?
Yes?
Okay, thank you. So that's one of the hey togs.
Do you get my message?
Okay? Go ahead? Yeah, let's do that. Go ahead?
Is interesting. I have a friend who's about eighty years old. When he was eligible for Medicare, he couldn't afford the payments, so he never got Medicare.
That's right. That happened to my brother. By the way, as my mom would say, God rested go ahead.
It would cost he would have to pay penalties for the past twenty years.
Basically, well, it's cost prohibitive. After ten years, it's cost prohibitive. Right.
So the question is if he meets all the qualifications for Medicaid, can you still get it or und you're over sixty five, you're not eligible.
You know what? Actually I never thought of that. We've had people who did exactly the same thing. They wanted to keep all of their money, so they didn't allow for you because you can't be forced to take it, so they didn't pay for it. Let's ask that's a great question. Actually, would an older person then be on Medicaid or would they say nope, you should have gotten medicare.
That's a great question, and we should ask Integra Insurance. So, Kelly, if you could call in Tegra Insurance, we would love to talk to them about, uh, this dilemma when you're older and you don't pay I believe one of them is given to you, the other one you pay for on Medicare. On Medicare, then Medicaid is solely based on income. But that's a good question. And if that's the case, then one would say, why wouldn't everyone do that then and just keep more of their money?
Well, because Medicaid is income based, so a lot of people wouldn't be eligible because they make too much money.
No, But what I'm saying is is that if people, if everyone just kept more of their Social Security and didn't pay for that premium, then they could all get Medicaid. If that's the case. So I don't know what the answer is, but we're going to find out. Three oho three seven one three talk seven one three eight two five five. Kelly was asking what kind of car that is? Kelly, that's a two thousand and one Benz SLK. Okay, and it's the two thirty. So it's a Benz two thirty
SLK with ninety seven thousand miles on it. I put it up on the call screener and so see if that'll help petty details come up with the price. I'm Tom Martino, by the way, Denver Regen dot com. Stem cell therapy get rid of pain. It works in so many cases instead of surgery. I had it done and it was remarkable. Denverregen dot com. Go with a sure thing Denver's best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't
pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free, no obligation comparison call Compass Insurance pain too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies. Find out now three O three seven to seven to one. Hell, you'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three oh three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Hi Tom Martino here three oh three
seven one three talks seven one three eight two five five. Okay, we're waiting for petty details for a car evaluation. We have Amber on the line for Evolve construction. But I got to go to John Jones for this quick question. John, when we when we turn eligible for Medicare, what do we pay for? If we choose to take Medicare? Do we pay for Part A or Part B?
Part B? For most people?
Some people who haven't don't have enough work hours have to buy into Medicare. But the vast majority of people, you're only paying for Part B part eight of three.
Okay, So Part B is a premium every month. And what does Part B cover?
Set your outpvisient care, so labs, physician services, X rays. You know, you your doctor's visits, office, visits, things like that.
And what is Part A Part A?
Hospitalization?
So if you didn't pay for anything, you would always get Part A? And when does that kick in? Well, so you.
Only automatically are given it if you're receiving Social Security so otherwise you have to apply for it.
But that's what I mean. If you apply for Part A right, right? And what does it cover? It's free, what does it cover?
The partay cover hospitalization?
And when does it kick in?
When does your initial enrollment period for most of it?
Now, when do I actually get coverage.
The first of your birth month?
Okay, I guess I'm not being strang. Okay, hold on, it's not your fault, John. Let me communicate this in a more clear manner. When do I actually receive a bene fit when I go to urgent care, when I'm in the hospital for a day when I have outpatient surgery when.
Yes, sir, so yeah, if you if you're hospitalized, then it runs through and you're give them your Medicare card. It runs through, It runs through Medicare and deductibles and well, no, it applies. There's deductible under Medicare Part A. There's an additional and that's for your first sixty days in the hospital, and then you have days sixty one through ninety and then ninety one through one hundred.
Okay, So it's varied, but there'll always be there will always be some out of pocket, right John, Yeah.
And potentially if you only have A and B, or if you only have A, I mean there's potentially unlimited out of place if you're in the hospital for more than one hundred and fifty days lifetime, Medicare pays nothing.
Okay, thank you. Now, if I don't pay the premium for B and it goes on for like ten years or or even longer, do I real is it cost prohibitive to get it? Uh?
There's certainly a penalty. It could be very It could it could be expensive to get it, but I mean if you don't then I mean it could be comprohibitive, do not have it depending on what you're doing.
I get it. But now we got a guy that's eighty that never had it, and now the premium is outrageous. He wants to know, since he has no income other than I believe social Security, will he be eligible for Medicaid or do they say no, no, no, we can't play that game.
He'd have to look it medicates. You know, your state based based on your income, state based coverage based on your.
Can't they say to him?
Or not?
Can't they can't they make him go to Social Security first, or say, hey, everybody could do this.
No, not everybody. I mean a lot of people do have income and do have income above Medicaid is a pretty low limit for income. You're looking about sixteen hundred dollars a month roughly sixteen ish two hundred dollars a month for income, and you're not eligible for medicaid.
If it's another question than John. If you're eighty and the outrageous premium for Part B is there and you have a little more income than you can get for Medicaid, then what about private insurance? Could that actually end up being cheaper than Part B?
Or never you can't if you're eligible for Medicare, you can't get the individual family markets for under age sixty five or special circumstances out that.
But yeah, okay, so the lesson here is to get b.
Sure absolutely well for it or when you become eligible for it absolutely So.
John, should I tell my buddy to apply for Medicaid?
How much does he make?
He makes sixteen months his income, he makes.
Less than sixteen hundred a month. So basically, basically, John, we should tell people don't pay for Part B. If you make less than sixteen hundred a month, you'll always get Medicaid.
Oh no, no, no, Medicaid can help pay Part B premium. And so if you're le for Medicaid, absolutely you still need Part B.
Okay, Well, that's what we're asking. So if he has a hospital bill, if he has a hospital bill, Medicaid won't cover him fully.
Well, if it's hospital what depends, It depends how many days he's been in the hospital.
But no, it will well or medical bills. Maybe I'm saying that's wrong, John, free too.
But yeah, and if he has like outfisions care, think that you're going to be out of pocket a hundred percent.
Right now, but Medicaid only pays a week. We got to come back to this because I am confused as hell. Go with a sure thing Denver's Best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free, no obligation comparison call Compass Insurance. Pay too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three oh three seven
seven to one help. You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three oh three nine two zero sixteen twenty two Ripped news. So you don't have.
Come run in as fast as you can. Shooter's gonna help come.
This is the Troubleshooter Show. Now Tom Martino, Hi, Tom Martino, Your Troubleshooter. Three oh three seven one three talk three oh three seven one three eight two five five. This hour brought to you by waters, You and how I feel about them. I think water is essential not only for your body, but for your house, your laundry or everything. I mean, without good water, you basically have more repairs to do and your laundry takes longer to get clean showers.
Do you use more soap? It's terrible. A full water softener thirty four hundred bucks fully installed. You'll never get better quality at a lower price. Three zero three eight six two five five five four Also drinking water waterpros dot Man, Hey, so listen. John Jones Jr. With Integra Insurance was helping us understand what happens to people if they don't take Part B Part A is hospitalization. Part A is not adequate coverage for a normal senior. It does.
It is provided free if you apply for it and if your medic medi if your Social Security pretty eligible, but it doesn't pay for a lot of hospital expenses. It pays for some of them. You could end up with an extraordinary bill if you don't have other insurance, so Part B. Part B pays for doctor's visits and other things, but Part B doesn't pay for a lot. However, it is premium based and as a senior, they take it out of your Social Security benefit, but you must
apply for it now. Some people choose not to have money taken out of their benefit. They need it to live on, so they don't sign up for B. If you don't sign up for B, it's going to be difficult to get it in the future because if you try to fool the system and put it off for ten years, you could end up in very, very big trouble by not having it, because you're going to be
surcharged to a point where the premium becomes very very expensive. Now, if you think you can get around it by buying private insurance, you can't because if you're eligible for Medicare, you can't get private insurance. So I'm asking Integra Insurance Group. If someone is eligible by income for Medicaid, does Medicaid pay for the doctor's bills you would incur for not having Part B or does it simply help pay for the premium of Part B?
John, It can do both and so you be dual eligible, so you're eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid based on that income whatever those incomes thresholds are for an individual, for a couple, and it can absolutely can help. It coordinates with Medicare A and B the for the healthcare and healthcare cost, and then it also helps their Part B bring.
It okay, Then it seems to me, John that it takes. I think the government is trying to encourage people to sign up for Part B, and that is why they have the penalties that accrue if you don't.
John, Yes, sir, I'm sorry I lost you for a second.
Here's what I said. It seems to me the government encourages seniors to sign up for Part B, hence the penalties. They want you to sign up. Okay, Well, then it also then seems to me, on the other hand, the government, through Medicaid, is encouraging that you put it off because there doesn't seem to be a consequence because Medicaid will help pay for the penalty plus help pay for your medical bills. So what is the consequence of waiting till
eighty to sign up for Part B? Did we lose him? Yeah, I don't sound like I don't think we're destined to get an answer for this, and it's not his fault. I just think the system is ft. I mean, it seems to me the whole reason for the penalty is to make sure we have aggregate premiums to help spread the losses. But now I'm hearing that if you wait till age eighty and you have penalties, well, guess what, Medicaid swoops in and they'll help you pay your premium
and they pay your medical bills. So I want to know the benefit of signing up for me early. And I think every senior listening does call them back if you can, please, or let's get someone else to talk about this. And it's not their fault. And Tegra is just telling me what it is. But does it sound logical to anyone? I mean that you can put off when everyone else is paying that premium. You can put it off because you are you need to keep your money and you don't care about the penalty, and then
we all end up paying your penalty. Does that make sense to anyone? Well, the government did get involved. Yeah, so it doesn't make sense, is what you're saying. Amber. And by the way, is petty details. Should we just forget about him and try to find someone else as far as valuating this car for her? So update on that.
I have texted him several times and called him several times, and I think he's unavailable.
Yeah, Tom, let me just say one quick thing.
There are very few people at age eighty.
Who are going to be under the sixteen hundred dollars a month limit between probably Social Security and whatever else it's most it's going to really cut down the number of people who are eligible for what we were just talking about.
Well, I would say that if anyone makes under that they should not get Part B, they can't afford to live if they do right to medicaid with that totally. So maybe it'll work out just right. So I don't know what to do with Tracy here. We need to She just needs to contact them directly. Tracy, we can't seem to get a hold of him. But he'll valuate this car. But remember this, it's only going to be worth what it's going to be worth. You're not going
to win the battle alone. Unless you can show through maybe a half a dozen recent sales that cars like you sold for more, it can be done. Mark had his reevaluated without petty details when they all was massive difference, like seven eight grand. But you did it on your own.
God, wow, can you hear me?
Yours is? Yours isn't going to be that high there, right? I know?
But then if nothing.
Else but listen, listen, if you call them, they will give you a fair value of what your vehicle is.
That's it, and it won't cost you a nickel.
Okay, but I but I didn't realize prior to this that it is a scam. Scam, there's an incentive for state farm to No, there's not.
Your vehicle is worth Listen, I just simply don't agree with what you're saying. If they're willing to give you what the vehicle is worth, that's all they need to do.
Because you value it.
Higher in your own mind means nothing.
Okay.
But if they let's say, okay, the damage is six thousand, right, say they gave let's say they gave me five thousand or six thousand, Okay, but now they got the title and they turn around and they sell it at auction for two, three, four thousand whatever. They have less money than if they had had it repaired, so they have an incentive.
It still is only worth to you, but they it's worth. Yeah, but they tracy. If they if they paid you six grand or five grand and then sell it at auction, you're assuming they're not going to get five or six You're right, they probably won't, So I don't understand how they think. So let's say they sell it for three to Chlod's or some big salvage yard or they sell. Okay, so let's just say they lose two grand by paying
you and selling it at auction. Now, your theory is what that if they pay two grand to you, it's better.
No, My theory is that it's a scam that they have an incentive to totally rather than pay for the repair, even if the repair is the exact value.
Of the car.
Tom, I have no idea how you argue with that, if god, I.
Could bring up any exactly what she's saying is.
If they I'm not looking Bill, they'd owe you a hundred.
She's not looking at the difference. Tracy, what you're saying doesn't make mathematical sense. If they pay you for the damage, you're keeping the car, you're you're neglecting that. But if they paid you for the damage while it's total, they get to keep the car, they're actually gaining the salvage value where they're not if you keep the car, So it's not the same. The dollars don't make sense of what you're saying. And by the way, I'm not arguing with you wanting to get what the car is worth.
But no matter what you feel about the car, you're not gonna get what you're feeling. You're only going to get what is what.
Her argument is. I under where I understand where she's coming from. But it makes no sense. She's saying, I just want to get the car fixed, even if it costs ten thousand dollars.
They should fix my car, even if the value is only six. No, they're not. She's not saying that.
Saying that.
She's saying that if they're willing.
Rather total it, there's a reason they would rather total it. It costs them less money. Even if we talk about the same dollar figure, Tracy, doesn't cost them less money.
Mark, It's not the same dollar figure, Tracy. It's never the same dollar figure. Totaling your car is one price. Okay, fix it, but when they total it, they get the salvage value. When they pay the same amount for repair, they don't get the salvage value. So how is that the same.
If the car let's say, let's say they total it at six thousand, but the repair is six thousand, right, okay, right, and so and so they say, well that's a total loss. Right, So they they give me six thousand for the car. Now they own the car, and they get money.
Back by right, that's right. So it's not so it's not the same dollars. It's not the same dollars. You're saying they're incentivized four.
Thous Now they're out only four thousan or three thousand or howmever much they get from that.
That's right, that's right. They're out less than if. That's why they don't pay for more than something is worth. That's right. You're absolutely right, and may have, but you're making no sense. You're making zero sense. You're saying they should overpay me for the value of the car because they're going to make less money than if you're saying they're incentivized to make more money. Absolutely they are, but they can't do it if your car was worth more, if your car was worth more than it is, they
can't just salvage the car. It has to make mathematical sense. If the damage is equal to the value of the car, they can total it. Tracy, I'm sorry, when we're at a fundamental we're at a fundamental wall. You don't understand the math in this what they have to give you, forget what their incentive is. They have to give you what the car is worth. Period that's all they owe you. That's all they ever owe anyone is what the car is worth. Then they sell the car after they buy
it from you. They buy it from you based on the value one minute before the accident. Then they sell it for what it's worth. Now that's the way it works. If they gave you the repair cost, they have nothing to sell. Do they make more money? Sometimes? Sometimes they don't. If your car is worth twenty grand, they couldn't. They couldn't buy it from you for seven. So you're just wrong. I don't know how to put it. You're wrong. She
thinks it's wrong that they're incentivized. They're not incentivized. Math doesn't incentivize it, just whether it makes sense or not. No one is gonna pay more than a car is worth. Ever, and you're saying, well, six is not more than it's worth. It'll just fix it. But then they don't get the car. If they're gonna buy the car from you, they want the car. I'm Tom Martiano, we have more what hold on? One more thing?
The other thing is, let's say it's fifty five hundred and the car's worth six grand. The reason they would still total it and most companies do up around that twenty five thirty percent is they have a body shop start.
Working on it.
Then all of a sudden, that fifty five hundred becomes ten thousand, and then they spent more to repair it than if they did buy it out.
Now, listen, something you can do, Tracy, Okay, call Petty Details and have them value the car or sue that woman for whatever you think it's worth. Sewer sewer directly because you don't have to deal with the insurance company, and then let a judge decide what that car's worth. But it's not going to be based on your opinion. I'm gonna talk about evolved construction coming up for Amber.
She's been patient. We'll take her right after this. Go with a sure thing Denver's Best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free, no obligation. In comparison, call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three oh three seven seven
to one help. You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the Real Estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three oh three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Hi Tom Martino your troubleshooter three O three seven one three talks seven one three eight two five five So Todd. One of my YouTube warrants says, I have to agree with the lady caller. Insurance pays up to the value of the car. This is payment for the damage. If they want the car,
then they have to purchase the car. I don't even understand what you mean. The lady caller didn't say that she wanted them to pay for the damage which equals the value of the car or exceeds it, and she wanted to keep the car. So it doesn't even make sense. The way insurance works is you're supposed to be one hundred percent reimbursed at the end of the transaction. I know it doesn't they try to get out of that. I grant you that. I grant you that, But if
you get into an accident, never mind. I'm going to take Amber. Then I'll explain. Amber. Go ahead, You've waited long enough. What's going on with evolved Construction? Amber?
Hi?
How are you? Hi?
Amber? I'm sorry for the way What's going on.
It's okay.
So there was a storm and like August of twenty twenty three, and the town my mom lives in, and at least five people that we know of hired Evolved Construction.
They went and and are.
They roofers cards?
I think that Evolve Instruction hires subcontractors.
Okay, how did she get in contact with Evolved Construction?
She was at the library and people were handing out business cards.
That's a novel at the library.
Yeah, and and other people were approached that we know of that they had people come up.
So your mom got a card and called Evolved Construction.
Yeah.
And by the way, it's not uncommon for companies to go out and sell contracts to subcontractors. Not unusual at all. I don't like it. But because you never know who you're dealing with, Evolve could sell it to anyone they want. So what happened?
So she hired them. There was an insurance adjuster that came out and had her sign a bunch of paperwork. He said, Okay, the con tractors will come out. He's like, I'll try and get Wait a minute.
The adjuster that came out, hold On wasn't from Evolved. The adjuster was from an insurance.
Company, right, Nos, from Evolved?
Well, no, there is no such thing as an adjuster.
Oh okay, Well I'm not sure what he was. Then I do know that he did work for Evolve and he did this to the other people as well.
So what did he do? What exactly? He's an estimator? What did he do? He came out?
Yeah, so right, so he looked at all the work that needed to be done. He said, okay, yeah, we can do all of this. I can call your insurance company and we'll request more money. We'll get them to give you more money to get more work done, and then we'll get the contractors out here.
Okay, and then what happened?
So in my mom's case, the roofing contractor came out, they finished the roof, the downspouts, the eve troughs, and then left, you know, like one hundred and fifty nails all of her yards, left trash everywhere.
How do you know it was a subcontractor.
This is kind of what I'm putting together from.
Okay, So, so theofing, the roofing, the roofing subcontractor left a mess. But did they do the roof.
Yes, they did do the roof, and then there was other jobs that evolved was given money for. In my mom's case, it was twenty around twenty seven thousand dollars wait.
In addition to the roof, there was twenty seven.
I think all together it was twenty seven that that come.
Well, how much, here's what I'm interested in, amber and the nails and all of that. Crab. Unfortunately, there's not much we can do. But here's what we can here's what we can do. Did evolve get money for work that was not done?
Yes?
So they were also supposed to redo the sighting on her entire house and repair windows and the facia and they never came back. They're impossible to get Did.
The contract list siding work and windows?
Yes?
And this is with like my friend's mom. She paid them thirty five thousand dollars they did the roof, but they never did Yeah.
So a lot of times this is not unusual. This is not unusual for these creeps to do this. They they they they get a contract, they put in a lot of estimates, they get paid. Sometimes they get paid. Did they actually get paid the money or does the insurance still have the money for this? Extra work.
Insurance paid them.
They got all how do you why would insurance paid Why would insurance paid for jobs not done?
I'm not really sure because like in my mom's case, like she gave them money for the roof and then they also contacted the insurance company and the insurance company paid them an extra eight thousand dollars and she's not sure.
No, I'm asking this. I'm asking this. So you're saying that Evolved Construction got paid for a lot of stuff they didn't do. We got to concentrate on that. Okay, so all of that stuff is still undone, right, so what does Evolve? Oh no, no, no, you go ahead? Is there more?
Right?
So they have no physical ad. They have a PO box in Port Collins. They you call their number, you leave messages. We know two workers that work for them, and if they do have an answer the phone, it's only because you said you needed new roofing work done. And then when you tell them, hey, you never finished the job, they're like, oh, yeah, we'll take care of it. We'll call you back, And they never do. If you leave them at a review on Google Reviews, they.
I only see automatically when I go to Evolveconstruction dot Com. Is that the same company?
I think?
So it's they only.
Show a location in Denver. They don't show a location up north.
I have Evolved Construction and Restoration Company and on Shield Street. And that was on all the cards that my mom had Shields Streets, Shield Street, Suite one thousand, number eight, one nine.
So then the one.
Worker my friend left a bad review and they found her name and her mom's name, and they have been harassing them, telling them that they're gonna see them for slander. They're lean on her mom's house.
And then they okay, I see Shield Street in flight? Is this in Fort Collins? Shield Street and Fort Collins? I do see them? Okay, okay, so this is this is the one that's national. And then they have offices all over and so anyway they have right now, though, does she have someone she's working with at that place?
A specific The person she was working with said he quits and now she can't get a hold of anybody.
And she said, you know, if truly it's against the Contractors Trust Act. It's against the Contractors Trust Act, and it's insurance fraud if they put in for money that they did not and they did, they got paid, and they didn't do the work. Okay, so we need to get someone to help you out with this. This this is uh, we we should help you out here.
But and I know of at least five people in the town that they've done this too.
And then I wait, there are five people who they've collected money from, but they did not do the work right.
One they dropped palts off in front of her house and left them there and never returned. And then since then, she passed away in July. So now I have no idea what's going to happen with that.
Can you get a list of the other victims or have them call the show? Sure?
Yeah, I can get a list of them. I don't think you from full comfortable.
Of Okay, just get a list of them. Get a list of them. How much do you know how much the roof was done? Do you know how much they collected from your mom that wasn't done?
I know, she just told me total they took twenty seven thousand, and that was supposed to cover everything.
Okay, and then you don't know how much that is. You don't know how much of that was the roof? No, do you have a copy of her contract.
I can get it.
Okay, let's give this to Deputy Dollar. Hold on a second, hey, Kachina, let's give this to uh. Let's give this to Deputy Dollar to look into supposedly these people. Okay, they did this to five other families. Okay, Okay, we're gonna definitely look into this. Uh and they're out of uh. Hold on, I'm making a note here. Okay, go ahead, Deputy Deputy Dollar, Thank you, Amber. Hold on, and we're going to try to see what the hell's going on. We got more coming right up, Hey, Tom, go with a sure thing
Denver's best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free, no obligation. In comparison, call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three oh three seven seven to one help. You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three all three nine two zero
sixteen twenty two. Hi Tom Martino, your troubleshooter three all three seven three talk seven one three two five to five eight eight eight heating dot Com. You can't say too much for honesty, value and just great people. If you have an air problem or furnace coming up eight eight eight heating dot Com now doing plumbing three oh three seven seven zero two seven seven six All right, Sam the man he wants to give props to Rod over at JFR Cars. What's going on there? Sam?
Hey, Tom, I want to give kudos to you and to Rod as I call last week.
About having to do the fate of taxes on a used car.
Yeah, and run a nice sat down and we got everything taken care of and everything is great.
Good. Yeah, they're good people. Normally, what happens with taxes is dealers collect taxes on certain deals. They're not necessarily required to pay them. I don't believe on cash deals except for state tax. But whatever it is, I think it should all be uniform no matter what. In my opinion, I think people should just pay when they register. But in your case, they question go ahead.
That was my question when I had called you, if I paid them or if they paid them.
Yeah, you know, kudos to you and your shoe in. Hey, Sam, what did you buy, by the way, word, what did you buy.
A uh my, actually, matter of fact, you bought a car.
For my daughter. What did you buy?
A Ford Escape?
Okay, cool, I got a Ford Escape and got rid of all conquera Volkswagen. Yeah, man, No, an Escape is a pretty good car for Colorado for sure. Uh three oh three seven to one. What's that? Yeah, Dinger, that's right, danger, thank you? Three oh three seven one three eight two five five.
Hey, So if you go to Evolve Construction lawsuits, there are a couple of lawsuits pending against that company, you.
Know, Evolve Construction. I hope Dollar digs into this, because the more I'm looking at him, the worse off they seem. I wonder what their BBB rating is.
I looked it up.
They're not accredited by the Better Business Bureau, so they get an F and there were.
Wait wait wait do they have an F on the Better Business Bureau?
And one thing it says they're not accredited, so I think they want to.
That doesn't oh wait wait wait wait Evolve Construction. Actually it says this business is not accredited. But you don't have to be accredited to get an F. They do have an F though, I'll have to admit that this is one time I've seen the Better Business Bureau actually give someone an F. My god, they must be bad for it to get an F from these people.
Why do you just see how many complaints elicted with the BBB?
My god, yes, yes, evolved construction. Okay, you know what, this is going to be a possible sleeze brigade. I gotta mark that down, man, I gotta mark that down, sleas because it's disgusting how many people are upset with them. So I urge people to let them know you heard about them on the show. You don't have to be vulgars, just let them know, say hey, I heard about you guys on the show. I don't mind that. And by
the way, I want to revisit this medicaid thing. Integer Insurance sent me stuff here on part A and part B and how it works and what happens when you don't have income and you're older, and there's a whole bunch of information here, so stay tuned for that. I'm Tom Martino three oh three seven one three eight two five five Go with a sure thing Denver's best roofer excel roofing dot Com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free, no obligation.
In comparison, call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three oh three seven to seven to one help. You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank Durand the real estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three oh three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Hi Tom Martina here three oh three seven one three
seven one three eight two five five. Okay, so when we're talking about storm damage, Okay, people, I'm gonna I'm gonna say this the best. I can never allow people ever to get paid from insurance ever directly. Never you're you need to stay in complete control of insurance payments. Too many times construction companies take control of your money.
In fact, if you have a lot of damage that extends to more than the roof, well maybe there are times you should engage another company that that does the other stuff, or get a public adjuster. Now, Genesis happens to do multiple things, so you can get a lot done from Genesis. Tootalexteriors dot com because they just do that, but most roofers don't. So don't let a roofer control the budget, or don't let a general contract or subcontract.
In fact, here's what I would do. I would never sign a contract at the door, never ever ever sign a contract with a company that subcontracts out everything. And now let me be clear on this. Excel Roofing and other good people, they have subcontracted crews, but they're not subcontract but they are taking full responsibility and have their own project managers and their own people. You see, that's a totally different ballgame. With Excel Roofing. They are in
control of everything. So they might have subs here and there, don't get me wrong, but believe me when I tell you it's the same subs they've had for years and years and years and years, and they have their own project managers overseeing every single job. Okay, that's important, But what I mean by this is when people go to the door, knock on the door, and then get you to sign something, and then they sell the contract, or they sell portions of the contract, you don't ever know
who you're doing business with. Now, Evolve Construction warning, they have terrible ratings terrible complaint history. Even the antiquated Dinosaur Better Business Bureau, even they give them an f wow three zero three seven to one three talk is our number seven one three eight two five five, and again it's important. Now let's go to some other things that
come up in this accident. Okay, I'm getting some text on this accident, and if you miss that, you can text me directly anytime on my personal Google number, which by the way, does forward to mysell Maybe I shouldn't have told you that, so I get these twenty four to seven seven four seven, nine fifty eighty. I've decided to open that up for public use because no one seems to be abusing it. I love it. You can ask me questions. I have someone listening right now that
has been asking about insurance. If we could get compass on, I'd like to answer this question about insurance for delivery drivers and bride share. I know we've gone over it before, but there are some very specific questions this person has now on Medicaid. I may not have enough time to Medicare to say this, but in essence, if you need assistance with Medicare premiums, whether or not you've put it off. You can get it through medicaid if you meet the
income requirements. There I said it all so if you meet those income requirements, it takes the sting out of the delay in getting those be benefits without paying the premium. Do you have any questions? Give me a call. We have more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show. Go with a sure thing Denver's Best Roofer Excel Roofing dot com.
You don't pay a cent until you're content. Please time for an insurance check up free, no obligation comparison call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three oh three, seven to seven to one help. You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three oh three nine two zero sixteen twenty two rip You needed that?
Who you don't have? Run anxious as can? No Shooter's gonna help. Come is the Troubleshooter Show. No Tom Martino, Martino, Welcome to the show. Three all three seven one three talks seven one three eight two five five. This hour brought to you by renew home Innovations dot com. The best showers ever. They convert the old ugly tub into a beautiful, big rectangle shower. Here's the great thing about those showers. Okay, you don't need a walk in tub.
They suck walk in tubs. But these things, these big beautiful showers. If you have a wheelchair, you can wheel in. You can walk in with a walker of course, just regular uh abled people without any thresholds, perimeter drains, seats, grab bars, soap dishes. You make them for your comfort. They're beautiful stone walls with no maintenance and glass panels, no doors. So that's renew home Innovations dot com. Three
oh three nine zero four two thousand. Get this two or three days and then seventy two months to pay no interest. Three O three nine zero four two thousand. Chris has a tenant landlord question, But first I want to go to Jeremy from Compass Insurance Group. Jeremy has Jeremy, I have a question on text again. I'm telling people you can text me, and you can text me at my Google number or at the number four iheart's text
and iHeart. You just have to put Tom in there and that's five seven, seven thirty nine, and then my Google number. You can text me personally seven four seven nine nine eighty. I got a text saying what happens to car insurance if I want to deliver to door dash or Amazon for Amazon or door Dash? Is it the same as ride SHARE's, Jeremy, how does it work? Do I have to tell my insurance what goes on?
Yeah? No, you definitely need to tell your insurance. Every company is going to be different. Most companies break apart. Ride share, like Uber or list is going to be different than food delivery. So we do have some companies that will all consider it the same risk, but most of them are going to be two different coverages. So you definitely want to make sure you have that on your policy if you have it.
But with Uber or Lyft or ride share, they provide insurance if you don't, right, In other words, you don't write it from there. Usually these drivers once they go on the clock, their personal coverage ceases, right.
Well, they have the different stages. So if you're in stage one, which I believe is basically like the app is on, that typically is not covered under the coverage they give you, or you could get from them, So there is like there could potentially be a gap where you could add the ride share in your homeowner's policy. That's covering that gap. Then like stage two as you're going to pick someone up, and that might even be outdated because I haven't looked at that.
Well, do you guys have customers that ride share and do they pay a premium?
Oh?
Absolutely? Yeah?
I mean do they pay a higher premium than normal?
Well, it's just the coverage they would add on, So it's typically fifty bucks a year. It's nothing crazy. Okay, You're going to cover that gap that their ride share insurance they're getting does not cover.
And that gap is when they turn off the app and they're waiting.
When they're shooty on but they're actively not picking someone.
Oh I got it, I got it. Okay, they're in between rides, got it. And then when they're just going to the supermarket, then their own insurance covers it, right correct? Okay, Now for food delivery, does it work kind of the same way. Do you know do these like door Dash if I'm delivering, does my own insurance cover or does door Dash provide?
Do you know your own insurance is not going to cover that you can certain companies will have that coverage. You could add, I'm not as familiar with like what door Dash offers, you know, similar to what like Uber would offer. I'm sure it's something, but yeah, just on a standard auto policy, there's gonna be no coverage for food delivery.
Okay, thank you. I appreciate that, Jeremy. And that's home of the Insurance Checkup Compass Insurance Group three oh three nine nine six nine thousand. A lot of people are doing insurance comparisons right now because of the market. It's crazy out there for insurance. Crazy now, Chris, Welcome to the show. I'm Tom Martino. Anyone else who wants to call three oh three seven one three talk seven one three eight two five five, or you can call three
oh three Martino twenty four to seven. Chris. What's happening?
Tom? Yeah, Hey, thanks for taking my call. Long story short, I'll try to give it brief. But the little old lady down the road from my house lives like four houses down. She lives on her own, she's like eighty something. She has a tenant that's been renting her basement from her. And longsty short. This tenant he's been going crazy making
threats to her. The way we got involved and connected with all this is the other day the old lady called my wife and was freaking out because she was having a panic attack because this guy was going like berserk on the old lady. And the guy actually got up in my wife's face and all this well, longsty short, this guy after reaching out in searching on.
You, would you call it? Would you call it like raging on this old lady?
Yeah? At this point, at this point, yeah, from everything she's described as well as what he did. My wife even kind of stalked her.
Why, okay, she can get a restraining order.
If we got the TPO on Friday, got it, try to serve him this morning. But then from there obviously moving forward with a cheap we're trying to get him served by the sheriff again tomorrow. If not, we're going to have a buddy of Now.
When you say trying to get him served, you said he's at that basement, right, Yeah, he's.
At that basement. But the sheriff couldn't come out to like eight ten today and he left the house this morning at eight o'clock.
You can't, did you ask the sheriff if you could serve him since you're unrelated.
That's yes, I believe we can. I'm gonna be on the twenty second she wants me.
Although you want to be careful, right, Chris, you don't want to get yourself and I mean this guy could be dangerous, right.
It's this guy he is and that's what concern is looking back. And we've been talking with his ex girlfriend who's back into the women's shelter that he was actually assaulted her and it was charged with battery. So he's on probation now to Denver from last year with a bunch of other drug tarts.
Let me let me add man this, how did she meet this guy to rent her the basement?
I'm looking at my wife on his own I probably Facebook or something. And this guy is a low life of literally just a total drugs What does he rage about out a little bit? Everything problems with the house. Least is a scammer. So he told his ex girlfriend and we've been talking with his ex girlfriend or the old lady has that he's preciously like, goes around. He even said, oh, let's go to the problemware to go find some old people to scam or whatever it was. And we have all this proof in the.
How did you find the old girlfriend?
Uh, she's so she was living with him, she is now or not she was, she's now at the woman's ster I believe, Holy.
Crap, it's no, no, no, no no. So you've got the temporary restraining order. You got to get this. I mean, somebody's got to get him served.
That's almost Tell me.
Tell me about the guy. Tell me, tell me about the guy. How old is he?
Uh, Thomas, She's thirty seven. He's like a contractor through a Denver and Castle Rock or inspector or something. He's been arrested like once, most recently was for the domestic abuse last year with his girlfriend, but then also and floored a bunch of drugs like morphine charges, controlled substance, more domestic and from there he's absolutely insane. And what I've found is the other day, how I really got involved was he had that freak out on my wife.
But then from there that next day Roan tells me he ended up falling her out of the neighborhood and then down the street a little bit from us, at a four way stop, he pulled up next to the side of my wife at the stop sign on the wrong side of the road, rolled his window down, just waving at her and just acting kind of kooky, and then followed her and I just tailgated her. And that's when I kind of was like, Oh, shoot, what are we doing? Like, what are we doing with this guy?
So I sat in the driveway waiting for him to get home. He comes home, I'm thinking we're about to throw some blows because I was going to call him out. And then what I decided was let's take the high road, and I just killed.
Now, you don't want to get into a fight with someone. But is he dangerous?
Is he?
Well, any he could be dangerous. But what I mean is is he a big guy? Is he kind of nasty? What you know?
Is he he's he's a little guy. He's probably like six foot tall, bad back, but he's not like a big, nasty, like biker looking guy. But he's definitely a psychopath to be honest. He's very manipulative.
And it's so, so, what's your plan, Chris? What were you calling us about? What can we do to help?
Yep? So we at the GGO. She wanted to have the sheriff serve it for us. We had the sheriff come out this morning, and I guess he want to do two or three times they come out. She was wanting to wait for the sheriff again tomorrow to try to serve him in the morning, and if not, then I was gonna get a buddy of mine to serve him. But it sounds like at this point with the text that he comes through this afternoon, this this guy's not good.
So my question would be, yeah, we probably should just find someone to serve him tonight when he gets home.
Yeah, but man, he could explode. I would ask for officer assists.
Does he have a firearm?
Yes, because maybe you can use that that rick taglaw.
Yeah, what is that one?
Remember we are if you think someone is a danger tom, they can take away your guns.
Yeah, but right now, all we want to do is get him out of that place.
Well yeah, but in the meantime the.
Guns are one thing. He's starting to burn down the house though, So that's also like the more bigger concern of like him being like this. And I guess the lady that gave him a reference for him moving into this new place was another old lady that he did the same thing to and manipulated her, and she was so scared. That's why she gave a good review of this guy, because she was so scared. And it's it's
absolutely insane, Tom, Like, we're standing there tonight. I put a couple of my ring cameras up at her house last night because she's that freaked out.
And listen, I don't know if it's safe for her. Listen, when you got to have an officer assist, when you guys man, when you guys serve this guy. Hold on, Becky wants to make a comment on this, Becky, what is your take on this?
Hello?
So, I am an in home private care nurse and this is the elder abuse. They need to contact Douglas County Department of Human Services and give her information.
I'm sorry, did he mention it was Douglas County? Did he mention it was Douglas County? Benky, I didn't get the rock. Oh, I'm sorry. Okay, Okay, we're gonna.
We're we're in Colorado Springs. We're el Paso County.
Okay.
Oh is she does she live.
In Colorado Springs?
Yeah, we're Paso County.
Yes, Okay, contact royl Paso County Department of Human Services and let them know that she is being she's an elderly person and she's being abused by a tenant, and they will get somebody out there immediately.
They will. How do you know this? By the way, Becky, how do you know this?
I'm also an assisted living administrator and I have turned many people in for elder abuse.
Wow. It probably goes on more than we know, doesn't it.
It does.
It's very it's so sickning.
Gosh, see Mark, you can get in trouble and the assisted living facilities, Yeah, happen.
And I turn everybody in that I see it happening.
I appreciate that. Becky, Chris, would you let us know what happens? Please? Okay? I mean, we're not going to drop this, but please call us back and let us know what happens. Okay.
Yeah, So we'll give you this all back. And it sounds like, you know, correcting what I'm wrong, even if we wait till tomorrow to get the TPO, like it'd be great to have the sheriff there. But at the same time, I don't know if we should try to serve them tonight. But no, one's sure when he's going to be home tonight. So then it's kind of like, well.
Do we know where he works? You said he works somewhere as an inspector?
Yeah, it's a for other companies? Who works for you as his own company? Called? Was it?
Don't tell us right now? Hold on, not yet, don't tell us yet of the name of the company. But what does the company do?
Uh, he's just like a general contractor slash property inspector.
Okay, give us that information off the air, okay, so we can have it. Yep, the record that you call, please, is this woman very Is she shaken up?
Oh? She's like like it's bad to him, like it's Jesus. Yeah. And this guy is that being that crazy and psychopaths Troggi and he's like bipolar to where like, yeah, we actually are concerned. And my concern too, is the sheriff this morning left their card and then noticing do you need to contact us for hurding? Uh no, no.
No, no, no, no no where do you leave the card home?
To that note and freak out.
I would take that card. I would take it, honest to god.
I oblivious.
I would not let him see that card. At all. I think that's bad judgment. I cannot believe they did that, especially knowing how explosive this guy is. Man, we can't do that.
No, I'm saying, also thinking out loud too. It's like, say, tonight, because we're staying the night over there tonight. If he starts acting up or anything, I'm calling I one one to get a sheriff out there, because we're techne.
Yeah, but you guys got to be careful too, Chris. I mean, seriously, Chris, you guys have to be careful staying there. I mean, I'm not saying you shouldn't, but be really careful. Now. I hate to even suggest this, but do you have a firearm for self protection? Oh?
Absolutely? I got my shotgun and bear spray.
Okay, good, bear spray. Good. Then you don't kill anybody, Okay, listen. I don't know. I think you're doing the right thing, but you got to be extremely careful, you know, situations like this, This is where this is where people should really start, you know. And thank you for getting involved for this woman. Man, Is that is that kind of you? Holy crap? I think it's so important. Three oh three seven one three talk, stay in touch Man three oh three, Becky,
thank you very much for your suggestion. Since we have more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show, go with a sure thing Denver's Best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free, no obligation. In comparison, call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three oh three seven seven to
one help. You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three oh three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Hi Tom Martino here three oh three seven one three Talks seven one three eight two five five. How can we help you? That's what we ask each and every day for those of you tuning in, this is a show that helps people solve problems,
answer questions, and take complaints. And uh, I know, as there's a TV in town that was keeping track of problems solved. They got up to around seven hundred thousand dollars. Now I applaud them, and I applaud anyone who wants to do consumer advocacy. I think it's a wonderful thing. The more the merrier. Perhaps we should all get together as an organization of people who want to help people.
We could call it the Better Business Bureau.
Yeah right, The Better Business Bureau is such an insult to today's technology and formats of better stuff. I mean, just you know, here's the thing we should call it, seriously, the Consumer Club? Get it? The Consumer Club or the Consumer's club. That has a double entendre there? Hey, Tom, Yes, sir, well, I asked about the gun.
You're familiar with the red taglow right that if somebody has a firearm.
Heven, how do you know they have one?
Well, that's why I asked.
If Chris knew that if firearm, he could get that taken away and then the guy would have to prove that he's not a threat, which he obviously wouldn't be able to do, but at least he would get the.
Firearm out of his hands.
Again though, See, Okay, I understand what you're saying, Doc, and I have no problem with helping people to stay safe, but I just don't know how we go there. All I want to do is get him out of that house. That old lady is threatened and feels bad and the neighbor is so nice to help.
Don't you think the cops would remove him?
Then? Well, they do have a temporary restraining order they're trying to serve on him. Mark Ah, they got to find him. Yeah, well he lives there, but they didn't find him home. Couldn't you just put it on the door. I'm not sure, you know what. I don't think you can actually, but that's a good question. They did put the card on the door. We need to talk to you as soon as possible. But man, I wouldn't do that because this guy could automatically assume this woman's out to get him. Blah blah blah.
And yeah, the bottom line is we just don't know how crazy.
This guy is. I know it, I know it, and that's what scares me.
We had a call. God, it's been years, man, the mother called on the son. She called into the show and I ended up driving down to Colorado Springs.
Oh.
Yes, he was hacking Loogi's in his mom's face and just I mean that was like one of the small things and the cops didn't want to do anything about it until I went down there. And called KRTV news and we were going to light it up and they came out and they removed him from the house. But it was hard to get done. Man, I know.
It got one woman. Do you remember? She's called a few times since then? This guy was such a creepy Was it his mom or grandmother? Wasn't it? Or We had two of them?
Now, okay, his mom, because he had to be around thirty or forty, I'd say more around forty.
You know, Mark, we had two of them. We had two then remember the one with the great on that she was out that was east Yep, yep, and she was helping one's son and then his son and he stole the car. Oh god, they were taking such a you know, listen, people, if ever you know of any situation like this, please let us know and we'll do what we can. Three oh three seven one three talk seven one three A two five five is our number. And we've had a lot of actions so far, but
now calls have lullged. You can get right through. You can also text me, of course, and I want to give that out seven four seven nine nine nine fifty two point eighty or five seven seven three nine out that's a short coat. Two separate numbers. Now on something that where is it? I have it right here? Oh do you know that Happy Birthday? There was a lawsuit settled, but I don't understand where the fourteen million went. But a global music publishing company they claimed to hold the
copyright to Happy Birthday. But guess what, They now have to pay fourteen million dollars because apparently they didn't have it. The settlement puts this song into public domain. But I guess the people who had been collecting money for it it was thrown out the copyright. Wow. So a US district judge said that the company never acquired the rights to Happy Birthday, but just purported to be the owner. Can you imagine that no one checked until there was
a lawsuit? Holy crap? Holy And now they have to give up the claim and pay fourteen million dollars. I wonder how much they collected over the years. But that's Happy Birthday to you? Is now happy Birthday to whoever? Where do they pay the fourteen million? It doesn't say that actually, I guess to the company who sued him. Somebody must assued him. But in any case, let's see the big winners. Of the ruling were movie studios and filmmakers who got together and they were targeted because they
had the songs in some of their movies. So they got together to sue this company challenging the copyright that they supposedly had. How the hell do you fake a copyright like that? We have more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show. By the way, I want to take this comment first, Becky, what is this comment on this elder abuse issue that we just took. What is your comment? So?
I just had one other recommendation. He can also Chris can call the Passo County Police and tell them that they need to do a well check on his neighbor, and then he can explain something so that they are prepared, can send a couple.
Of officers to do a well.
Check on her, and then they can explain to the officers the issue.
Why do you think he kept talking about that? I forgot to ask him this. He talks about the sheriff's department more than he does the police department. I don't understand that part. Well, the sheriffs, they're so the sheriff. The sheriff's department can do civil service like you know, they can serve people, but the police department. You're right, they also have to be called the police department.
Yes, I think that he's wasting his time with the restraining order because action needs to be taken now, and it's not.
But would they take action just on her word and their word?
Yes?
Absolutely.
Elderly abuse is so rampant right now that they take us off seriously, very seriously.
Okay, Hey, Becky, I wish you sound like you know what you're doing when it comes to this issue. I wish you would leave your number with Katchina in the so we can call you now and then if we ever have an elder absolutely, oh great, thank you. Hey, listen, get her number eight. It put her down as an angel.
What's it is possible that that part of Castle Rock is unincorporated and that's why the sheriff it was.
Is Colorado Springs. But you're right, it could be that it was. It's not in the city limit. You're right, okay, So what we'll do is take Becky's number for future issues like this. We got more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show three O three seven to one, three eight, two five five, Go with a Sure Thing Denver's best rufer Excel roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free,
no obligation. In comparison, call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three O three seven to seven to one. Help. You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Hi Tom Martino, your troubleshooter. Hey, more on that Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday suit. The song Happy Birthday the company that
had to that. Okay, Warner Brothers did not fake it. Warner Brothers is the one that has to pay these damages. Warner Brothers thought that they purchased the rights. According to the suit, the song was written by the way. This song was written by Mildred and Patty Hill in eighteen ninety three. Okay, and it was called Happy Birthday and Happy Birthday to you all. Okay, now you know that right, Okay? So they sold Patty and Mildred sold this song to Clayton Summy and it was for ten percent of the
sheet music. So the company that Summy founded was purchased by Warner Music Group. Meanwhile, Mildred and Patty died, so the only ones with any assemblance of rights were Warner Brothers. And that was back in nineteen ninety eight, and since then, Warner has been collecting copyrights every year, millions of dollars every year. However, the lawsuit says, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. That was only for a limited version of it, and they were not entitled to all those copyright fees that
they've collected over the years. The lawsuit argued that the there was a piano arrangement in nineteen thirty five, not the song itself. This was significant because Warner has been collecting millions of dollars every year, so the judge said, you don't own it, you gotta pay. By the way, this was started in twenty fifteen, this lawsuit, it took this long to get through the courts, when back and forth and back and forth, and Warner has to pay
fourteen million dollars ca Lee all because of Happy Birthday. Hmm. Anyway, three zero three seven, one three eight two five five Okay. So on another note, I was on cars dot com and I noticed a site and it said salvage vehicles, right, because I was trying to look up some salvage things. People are telling me this as a scam, but it's called Globalauctions dot Com.
Mart think it's a scam. It's simply an auction.
Yeah, but it's oh yeah, of course it is. But what I'm saying is it's extraordinary what you can buy some of these damaged cars. For see it says engine damage on one of them. It does talk about damages on some of them.
And the more important part is look when the bidding stops, most people that are serious at an auction come in the last half hour. I mean, if it ends in five days, in the BID's four hundred dollars, it means nothing, is my point, No, no, no, no, no, you're right, that's not good. Go to time ending soon. Then you start seeing realistic prices.
Okay, cool, but on some of them, oh yeah, there are no buy now as you're right. But I wonder how many of these actually sell because it seems to me some of these can be you know, you can you can repair them and have a pretty damn good car, you know. But here's the point. When it comes to exotic cars, there are aficionados that only want the luxury
cars with less than two thousand miles on them. Over two thousand, they depreciate drastically over ten or twenty thousand, forget it, forty or fifty thousand, then only want to bees buy them. But the damaged and repaired ones only want to best buy opposers, you know, because they can get into it for less than someone spending four or five hundred thousand. But anyway, that's so, it's a yeah, it is a It is a legit site for auctions, and they do have salvage cars and they're pretty interesting.
They have not just salvage cars, but all kinds of different kinds of weird auctions on big like exotic cars and boats, heavy equipment and all of that. Anyway, I find it fascinating. We have more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show. Get your calls in three oh three seven one three Talk three oh three seven one three A two five five probid energy dot com. Speaking of solar, if you want a great solar company, they can help
you with commercial or residential probid Energy dot com. Go with a sure thing Denver's best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free no obligation comparison call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three all three seven seven to
one help. You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three all three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Hi Tom Martino here three O three seven one three talk seven one three eight two five five. So we're getting a lot of suggestions for this eighty year old woman where a rager she rented to in the basement. She was given a reference to this guy from another old lady who was afraid
of him and wanted to get rid of him. That's kind of sad, And apparently this guy is violent, bipolar, poses a threat Alpasso County. Chris, the neighbor wants to help her. He got a tear, They went to court and got a tro They haven't yet served him. They're afraid he's going to explode. When they do, they need to get an officer assist. That's happening. Another thing we're hearing from people who have been ripped off by Evolve Construction.
It all started with a complaint we got from Amber about her mom hiring these people, and Evolve Construction seems to be a ripoff company. From what we can tell. There are many lawsuits against him. They have terrible ratings and they take money and keep a lot of it without doing the work. They do some basic work so they don't just out now, keep the money and run, but they collect for all sorts of damage but end up doing just the roof through some subcontractors. These are
definite candidates for the sleaze brigade. But warning people put the name down Evolve Construction, be careful. Okay, Evolve Construction. Okay. On another thing, people are saying Tom when it comes to an accident and valuing the salvage, that they always overcharge the consumer when they want the car back because they know they'll pay more than the actual salvage is worth.
So please advise consumers to get a true salvage value that can be negotiated, and I imagine it can be for example, when they're paying you, let's say ten grand, saying we're going to total this and you want to keep it and try to fix it. Okay, Well then you might be thinking I want to keep it, I'll buy it back. They make sense that you'll pay more than let's say a salvage yard. So what you ought to do maybe is call a few salvage yards and see what they would pay for that same vehicle as salvage.
It's like, tell them you have a wreck and you want to sell it and see what they're willing to pay. Maybe that'll give you a better salvage value. I'm Tom Martino. We got more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show. Get your calls in at three oh three seven one three talks seven one three eight two five five, and don't forget. You can call three oh three Martino at any time three O three six two seven eight four six ' six.
We have more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show. Go with a sure Thing Denver's Best Roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free, no obligation in comparison call Compass insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies. Find out now three all three seven seven
to one help. You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three all three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Yeah, ripped of.
News.
You need advice so you don't have.
Come runs A cam Shooter's gonna help coming.
Man six is the Troubleshooter Show. Now, Tom Martino, Hi, Tom Martino here, Welcome to the show. This hour brought to you by Excel roofing as in excellent e x C E L. You know I had Excel for the heck of it. Look up in my attic. This is an important story for everyone. You know, I always talk about ventilations. So I have a whole house fan which
works in an excellent fashion. And I assumed that my attic was good because you know, my air conditioning worked well and all that, but just for the hell of it, on these really hot days, it was a you know that that's without the whole house fan, that upper floor got really hot, and I thought, why would I have to use a whole house fan like with a normal house, right.
I mean not that I didn't like it. I love having the whole house fan, but they went up there and my attic was like one hundred and thirty degrees or something. It was ridiculously hot. And it turns out it wasn't up to code as far as venting. Now, I'm not suggesting that you know, you have to have it up to code, but I mean your ac will work harder now. Even though I have the whole house fan and it was doing its best to and it kept the upper floor pretty cool, but attic ventilation is
important to keep your whole roof system working well. So I'm having them fix that. I mean they're doing a major thing with the venting and the roof now, Excel of course you want for your roof, okay, but when they do your roof, they look at your roof system, and you know it doesn't cost a lot of money to pop in an attic fan to assist with ventilation in your addic and help your entire home. And of course just and if all you need is roofing, that's
good enough reason to call them as well. But I just thought i'd give that out there, because it's for sure excelroofing dot com threeho three seven sixty one sixty four hundred and I have a lot of text for some reason, a lot of text here. Let me get to them. And people want to know. First of all, is it true that you can be arrested for sharing food at a restaurant on an ail you can eat Now? I did a search and found one such. I can
only find one in the entire country. Someone said they were threatened, but they're an Applebee's that did arrest someone for sharing the the appetizers, the endless appetizers, and she was sharing them with her table and as a result she they told her to stop, and she didn't stop, so they called the police. And anyway, so basically there there were, there was a woman and her endless appetizer
was coming to the table. It's all you can eat for fifteen ninety nine, and it was double crunch shrimp tender riblets and boneless buffalo wings and then a bottomless portion of fries. You're not supposed to share with anyone at the table. So this person says, you know what, it can't be that important, right, So she paid fifteen ninety nine, and she went ahead and shared. And then what happened was one of the other patrons complained and supposedly Applebee's called the police and she was given.
They should have just given everybody at the table a bill for fifteen ninety nine.
But this is weird.
I think that would be the logical thing to do, Tom.
I mean, let's put it this way. With although I haven't heard much about shoplifting anymore, I was going to say, with people shoplifting the way they do, But have you noticed we haven't heard a lot about shoplifting anymore. I mean truly, we haven't. And that used to be in the news all the time. So have they cracked down on shoplifting? I know one thing, it's really inconvenient. Have you gone to a super you see? I hardly ever go to a supermarket anymore. I go and have it delivered.
I like having King supers delivery, or I do Amazon. But have you been to a supermarket lately, any of you guys? I go every week, Tom, have you noticed they locked up the laundry detertion. I've noticed they've locked up certain things. I usually go to Walmart and King Soup how do they decide what they're going to lock up them?
I guess they must have a history of what's being tampa with.
But I went to even get a you know, the old room, and it was locked up.
And both King Supers and Walmart they'll have security guards and the King Soupers ones are armed.
Yeah, so I don't think they're putting up with it anymore. Well, does anyone notice that? I mean, I like that. I mean I don't want to pay for shoplifting, and that's what we all eventually pay for shoplifting.
But I agree, even when you buy something like a six pack of coke or of doctor pepper, they put a little stamp on it to show that it's been it was gone through the cashier.
Okay, I didn't know that they were taken. I like the idea. I like the idea. Now, by the way, you know, we had that woman on talking about age elder abuse, right and I know that she really had a lot of good things to say. I don't want to make light of it, but there is a lot of discrimination going on right now. Do you know that there are people who are called this is truly Fortune magazine did an article on this something called super aging.
Now that doesn't mean you age faster or you're super aging. In fact, that's a stupid name to call them superagers, but apparently their brains and subsequently, as a result of that, they take better care of themselves, because the theory is if you have a loss of cognitive abilities, your tendency to self groom and stuff kind of falls by the waveside. And people mention that with older people there seems to be an increase in complaints about them from gym's, massage therapists, dentists, uh,
and people who deal with them on an everyday basis. Now, I'm not trying to be nasty or mean, but Mark, do you remember? Is Mark still there? By the way, I can't say you about it? Do you remember the one guy called up and he was pissed off that the massage therapists refused as sage. I don't remember that, but you know listen, and it was discrimination, he said, age discrimination and they told him they finally when we
called them, said are well loud to talk? And he said yes, I'll know you remember it because guess why we invited him in to see if it was true. And I wasn't there that day you were and you were so pissed at me. Does that ring a bell? Was he big and stinky?
Yes?
Yes, Now listen, here's what happened. They said, well, frankly, it's his body odor. And they didn't know how to tell him because and this is one of the things in this super aging thing. I digress from that original article, but in essence, Mark, do you remember that guy? So he says, I don't smell blah blah blah, and they said, they said it was so bad that other patrons complained and they basically had to fumigate when he left. And then the massage therapists, most of them refused to touch
the man. They didn't know why, but he was giving off this odor. Some people do it because of where they live and how they live, others because of their laundry, other because of self grimmy. But we invited the guy in. Now, Mark, I swear to you to this day. You think I took off on purpose, but I didn't remember you. Were you exaggerating when you told me.
I always get to crazy ones no matter how you put it?
Man, I know, I know, but you But were you exaggerating? Wasn't that bad? You said that the studio, I mean, and the chair and everything. Oh, I'm sure he's stunk. Man, I'm sure there's no doubt about it. Well, you were there.
It's like when you sent me out to uh, I don't know the last four the.
Man was losing his house.
You never let me the best salute emergency and you had to go right now, it's absolutely crazy and blah blah blah blah.
I said, Mark, this guy's losing his house. This somebody, the postman or something did something about him, was stealing Stole's mail, then Stole's house.
And you went out there and they were just and crazy, craziest people I ever met.
And not only that, but the husband had convinced the woman the Yeah, they were both just nutty, buddy man, but they were living in a They showed you stuff that didn't even exist when you looked at it, you said.
Or a guy that was really hungry. This one was within the last year. He called into the show. We were both in studio and this guy said he had nothing to eat and blah blah blah. So I hauled ash down to a roar to bring him something to eat or check out the situation and he had trash and garbage stacked from the very floor to the ceiling, and this little rat hole that you could see through
into his house, and the only food he wanted. In fact, Jeff Vic from Kimmera Transmission ended up buying groceries for the guy, and he rejected him because all he eats is fast food.
Yeah. That it was a sorry story, I'll admit it, Joseph. Are you being evicted Joseph, Yes, it's difficult to be evicted nowadays. What are you being evicted for?
Well, I got a small story.
I'll tell you.
Go ahead, go ahead. I uh.
I left my job last year to retire, and I got a pr Uh. I've been paying into it for twelve years. You know a PR is right? Public?
No? I don't no.
What is it? Employees Retirement Association?
Oh you mean para para? Yes, okay, I knew what para is. Yeah. Were you a teacher? No? No, I was a maintenance Okay, Hold on a second. I'll come right back to you. It sounds important. I don't want to rush you. I gotta take a break. Also, this other one on hold, please hang on, hold, will be right there. I'm Tom Martine. Three oh three seven one three talk seven one three eight two five five Go with a sure thing Denver's best roofer Excel Roofing dot com.
You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free, no obligation. In comparison, call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three all three seven seven one help. You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three all three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Hi Tom Martina here, Welcome
to the show. Let's talk to Joseph. He said that he retired last year on para. Go ahead, Joseph continues, sir, yes, and they sent.
Me fifty thousand dollars.
But how much I'm how much? Sixty thousand? Okay? So I thought para was where you got monthly payments or did you opt for a lump sum? A lump sum? And did you put it into I hope you put it into some kind of annuity for for UH for lifetime income or not.
Well, I would have.
But here's what happened. I saw was down with forty thousand after I paid my bills and my rent and h I was on the internet one day and my computer got locked up.
Call oh god, no, you lost your life savings, sir.
So they yeah, they had me send them my money. They said there was a problem with my account. It was a bell coat. They said there was a problem with my account.
Joseph. But Joseph, this is honest to God, Joseph, this is heartbreaking, the honest it is. It's heartbreaking. So you paid your bills with twenty something and you had about forty left and somebody tricked. How did they know you had it? How did your computer get locked up? How did all this happen?
I have no idea, but I gave a number card.
Well hold on, though it sounds too coincidental. How long after your lump sum payment did this happen?
Oh it was a few months. This happened in February. I retired in May of last year.
So I don't think they knew you had this money?
Did they? No, they didn't. I'm sure.
Tell me exactly what happened? This this we got to put this warning out, Joseph. No, truly. I mean this sincerely. It's heartbreaking. But God almighty, there are so many people affected like this. There are so many elderly people are old and I'm not saying you're that old. How old are you? By the way? Oh god? Okay, So tell me exactly what happened. You say your computer got locked up?
What were you amail?
I'm gonna call wait wait wait wait? How did they How did they know to email you after your computer?
They didn't email me at first. They just they just told me over the phone that somebody was taking money on account and it was for child porn and the FBI was investigating.
Oh.
I freaked out about the whole thing.
Oh my god.
And they sent me emails after that letterhead it looked completely I had no idea. I listened to you all the time, so I don't.
Okay, So Joseph, so hold on. So first you got a phone call, then they told you to go online?
No, no, they didn't. Can't tell me to go online. They said, withdraw my money and send it to them.
And what were what were they going to do with your money?
They said they would keep it until the investigation was over, and then they'd refund it.
Of course didn't, Joseph. Didn't that sound weird to you? And if you didn't do it, why were you so nervous?
It did? But because I'd never been through anything like that before. I don't do child porn.
Why didn't you call me, Joseph?
I should have?
I should have. There's a lot of should have.
All right, So what then? They said, you need to you need to send them the money. So how did you send them the money?
Did you close my account and send them money? So I did, and of course they never responded after that.
How did you send them the money to ups? What do you mean? Ups?
Not UPS?
Oh?
But the delivery x EPs?
Oh?
So you sent cash?
Right?
Yes?
Wait a minute, hold on, you sent forty thousand dollars in cash?
I sent thirty eight thousand, Joseph, Joseph.
Were they one hundred dollars bills?
Yes?
I had no idea this was going on, Joseph, Joseph. And how did you package up the cash?
They said, to wrap it up and foil and send it EPs.
And none of this rang any bills.
I'm not really because I was nervous about the whole thing.
Well, I know, but that alone being nervous. For God's sakes, you could have called me for advice.
Like you, porities are going to tell you to get cash, wrap it up in tinfoil.
And send it to him. Come on, Joseph, I should have.
Called the bank, but they told me not to because it was under investigation.
What's the bank got to do with it? You mean when you withdrew the If he would have called his bank, they would have told him it was a scam. When you went to withdraw your money in cash, what did they say to you?
They just gave it to me.
I thought, did they ask you what you wanted it for? No, we got to do something, Toad.
I think you did at one point asked me and I told him this for housing.
So you were you? You lied to them because you thought it was part of the investigation. You shouldn't tell anyone. You're gonna owe a ton of taxes on that. Just as a side note, No, he already paid when he got his lump sum.
Yeah, I paid taxes. But so I had enough money to pay my rent. I'd say enough to say, I've been til last June and then I just had no money. I've been looking for a job. I fine found doing I started on Friday.
Oh god, I am. So did you call authorities after you realize you were scammed? Joseph?
I did. The FBI was looking at it, but I haven't gotten back with the haven't gotten.
Back to the Joseph find it.
Where did you mail it to?
I don't remember.
No, it was it in the States?
Was it overseas?
I think it was California?
Okay, of course.
Well, I mean it's better than sending it to uh someplace overseas where the FBI did you? But it was just a mail draw I know, But who knows. Maybe they what I'm saying was overseas to be zero chants?
Are they really looking into it at the FBI?
Do you know?
Guy?
That's what they said.
Do you have the name of somebody you can check with on that?
No? I don't. I'll have to call them back exponentially and find out. But I didn't get any full members or any addresses. I didn't say that anyway, So I don't know what I could do anyway. So I went to court for an eviction and they said I had to be out by Wednesday. And I have no family, I have no friends. That are in a position to
deal with it. So basically I'll be homeless. This put my credit cards behind, so there's always good in my bills, but now they're behind and it tain't to my credit score, so I can't get alone.
And so your call is you need help with the rent? Yeah, oh, I need to tell them a backstory.
I need to know about resources.
That I know.
Hey, listen, man, listen seriously, when is this all happening? Joseph.
Well, I'll be evicted on Wednesday, So you have.
No income to this was all of your life savings.
Yeah, I've got a Social Security at the moment.
And how much is that a month?
That's one thousand dollars a month.
I didn't think you got social when you're on PARA.
Now you know, well I had jobs before that, so I paid into it for a while. Okay, so we only didn't pay into for like twelve years.
There's a max. So time to go to your point. So hold on, now, how much is your rent every month?
Of sixteen hundred that includes utilities? So I'm behind or five thousand point of dollars? Oh my god, because it's another month now. So I called the Community Economic Defense Projects it's sposed to help, but their applications are they fell up quickly?
And why did you wait?
So?
Listen? When when did you? Joseph, there's so many things you did wrong. How long ago did you realize you were ripped off? When did this happen?
Monday? Money back in February?
This happened in February? Why are you just called? Okay? So, when you knew you didn't have money to pay rent? Why didn't you start calling people?
Then?
I did, but I just could get the money. I tried it. I borrowed from friends. I had enough money to pay rent until June. But I'm screwed and I'm going to be evicted wednesday if I don't get any help.
Well, it's kind of a hell of a thing to call last minute like this. I mean, you don't agree, but let me ask you something. Even if you did a GoFundMe or we tried to raise money for you, like, what are you going to do from here on out? Go with a sure thing Denver's Best roofer excel roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance checkup free, no obligation in comparison call Compass insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens
of insurance companies. Find out now three all three seven seven to one help You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three all three nine two zero sixteen twenty two one Clear Choice Garage Doors by the way, if you want anything to do with your garage door to be fixed or serviced or the opener one Clear choice Doors dot com the best company I know twenty four to seven service for
emergencies if you can't get your door closed at night or whatever. Seven to zero three seven zero thirty nine eighty seven seven two zero three zero thirty nine eighty seven one clear choice doores dot com where all of their prices are fully disclosed and right now. By the way, there are a lot of big companies buying out smaller companies, and what you think is a small company no longer a small company. Just so you know, Hey, by the way, a lot of people are saying they think this is
a fake call. Okay, my YouTube basing the guy is totally bamboo. Just wait, just wait, let me let me explain this to those tuning in. Joseph said he got a call saying that his bank account was compromised and that money was being withdrawn for pornography child pornography and charges were being pursued and an investigation was on and he had to withdraw money from his account and he had to send it to them. So they said they
would email him. So he said he went to his bank and had to withdraw the remaining balance of his para retirement, which was thirty eight thousand dollars. They told them to wrap it in foil and to send it to ups to them. He doesn't remember the address, but all of his money's gone. This happened back in February. He's five six hundred dollars behind in rent. He's being evicted Wednesday. He's going to be homeless. He gets a thousand dollars a month social Security because he worked a
little beyond para. Para was for his maintenance work at a school. So I want to ask a few questions because Joseph, so many people and I just want you to know this. There are a lot of skeptical people when they hear stories like this and they think, well, this guy's just looking for money, and he's maybe thinking Tom has a soft spot. Even Mark thought I was falling for it, and I was. I guess because I didn't even think for a minute it was fake. I didn't.
Maybe I should have. I want to ask a few questions. Okay, Joseph, are you there?
Yes, and it isn't fake. He actually call I live in the Odyssey Apartment's important, you can call Hey, listen, Joseph.
Joseph, Joseph. I'm not doubting that you are getting evicted or you're behind on rent. But I want to ask if you could do a couple of things for us.
What's that?
Could you send us copies or a photograph picture with your cell phone of your license, your driver's license. Okay, I want to see the front of your driver's license with your name, your date of birth and all. Then I want a picture of your bank statement where the money was withdrawn, where the money was withdrawn in cash. I don't show you that, but you can go get it. Well, I probably did, Joseph. If I don't have that, I
have nothing. Here's what I want to know. Did they make you fill out a form at the bank for taking out more than ten thousand dollars in cash? No, okay, yes, right, that's the wrong answer. Did they they let you take out thirty eight thousand dollars in cash? How did they give that to you? And what denomination?
Well?
I got it ten thousand dollars at a time, and how many times?
Once again? Time? It's still easy. Just show us the bank records, that's all. Yeah, you do have bank statements? Or are they online?
I'd have to go to the bank get them, but not online?
What bank is it?
Donco? Don't go credit Union.
And Belco, I guess doesn't have an online presence. I think they do. Well, I have a check, Joseph. I need some proof that this happened before we start going to bad for you. Even then, I can't. I can't promise you we're going to restore your money, but as sure as hell.
No.
And then you put in a police report, right, yes? Do you have a police report?
Not a police report? I called the FBI.
Can you get a case number for us?
Uh?
Maybe I'll try, Joseph.
Are you on drugs?
No?
Not at all. Why Why would you ask that?
Because drug addicts are very creative?
Well, I'm not being created.
I don't.
I don't want to be evicted.
Joseph, I don't. I'm not telling you that you're a liar. I'm not. I'm just telling you that a lot of people listening really do not believe this story. Mark, Are you one of them? Be honest? Do you? Because I don't know yet, I don't know. What do you think?
I think the guy is getting evicted, like I said, But I do not think he wrapped up thirty eight thousand dollars in tinfoil mailed it to an address he no longer has. I assume he doesn't have a tracking number, he has zero bank records of it, and he can't log onto Belco Credit Union to get him. So I don't believe a damn word of that part.
Let me ask you something, Joseph. Were you why wouldn't you keep track of the address you sent it to?
I just didn't.
But how were you going to get your money back?
Do you?
Did you really believe sending cash like that was gonna get you money back?
And they was going to get they were gonna They told me they were gonna send my money back as soon as the investigation was over.
Who were you when you called the FBI. They didn't give you either a case officer or a case number. How are you supposed to contact the FBI and find out if they're doing anything if you don't dog a doc.
I know what you're saying. In other words, who's working on your investigation right now? Joseph, I don't know.
I have no idea. They didn't tell me. They didn't give me a case number. They just took the information.
Hey, Joseph, okay, and you don't know the address. Do you have a receipt from UPS or anything like where they ship from the shipping You didn't keep a copy of the shipping label, No.
I because I thought it was all legit. I didn't save anything. Oh my god, I'm not lying to you, Tom. It's absolutely positive truth. I was calling you to see if he had any resources that I could deal with.
Well, I'm thinking. I'm thinking, Joseph, including trying to raise money to help you. But I got to tell you something, man, I can't be doing it unless I get some proof. Honest to god, I got to get some proof. And I don't want you scrambling by the way to get proof, to think to think that all of a sudden, we're going to write you a check. I mean, I'm gonna try like hell to it. But but listen, man, I gotta have some kind of proof on this. This does
break my heart the story. But a lot of people saying, oh, I.
Didn't call to get any money from me. I called to see if I get resources.
Well, what what are resources, sir? What are resources? Resources? Well? Is somebody going to magically tell your landlord not to evict you. They're going to want some money. I know that.
That's why I'm trying to get it. With the Community Economic Defense budget.
Was supposed to, I don't even understand what that means. You think they just give out money to people who have been ripped off. I wish there was such a place. Well, actually I don't know if I do.
I mean, what's that they help renters pay?
And doc? Can you look into that organization he's talking about. I want to get your contact information, and I want you to call us back tomorrow. I gotta take this break. You got to call me back, bro, I'm serious. You got to get us Sam Bank statement.
Man.
Please, we're not kissing this off, Kashina. Get us contact information. We have more coming up. Go with a sure thing Denver's Best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance checkup free, no obligation. In comparison, call Compass Insurance. Pay too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now
three all three seven seven to one help. You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three all three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Do you know here, Steve, you have a comment on that situation? What do you think about it?
Yeah, well I can tell you I've had an account with Belco since nineteen seventy four and they currently have all kinds of online services bill pay, you know, so you can get your you know, see your bill all that.
So, but he could be just that stupid. I hate to use him computer savvy, so that would you know?
That's fine, It's it's possible.
I'm just saying that, you know, a little far fetched, and.
Well do you believe let me ask you, did this story sound unbelievable to you?
I didn't hear all of it. I was working outside and came in.
You know, I think, I think here's one tendency we do have. So sometimes if we think it's not true, it makes us feel better because it sounds so horrendous. I mean, I know, we would like to believe it's not true. But he said, these guys said there was a scam going on with his bank account withdrawing money for porn, and he had to send his money to them. He had to send the money to them until the investigation was over. But my god, he said, he listens
to my show all the time, yet he packed up cash. Yeah, thirty eight thousand raps fool and sent to ups. And anyway, we're out of time. Don't forget three all three Martino people twenty four to seven. I'd like to hear about this too. We're gonna revisit it tomorrow plus more. I'm Tom Martino. That's three all three, six, two seven, eight four sixty six.