BELL COUNTY, Texas — What started out as a good deed quickly turned into a scam for many homeowners in Temple, Texas.
Belinda Kidwell said she used the Nextdoor app to find a handyman in Temple to fix her oven.
Kidwell said he took three hours before he said he needed to leave and buy some parts. Before he left, Kidwell said he asked for $90, so he could purchase the parts, but never came back.
"He didn't know what he was doing, and I handed him $90, that's on me," Kidwell said.
Kidwell said she tried calling him the next day, but he said he was having issues with his family and demanded another $75 from her. That is when she asked for receipts and she said he wouldn't provide them to her.
"I texted him and said I want my money today, but I never heard back," she added.
Others have come forward, reaching out to 6 News, claiming the same thing has happened to them with the same handyman.
One woman said she and her husband lost over $1,300 on an agreement to install security cameras. Now they've taken the handyman to small claims. She added that he did not respond to being served papers, but their court date is in September.
Kidwell wants to use her story to warn others. She said the temple Police Department would not take her case.
I reached out to the department asking why, and they said in cases like this, victims have to go to small claims court.
To prevent this from happening, Nextdoor has a list of resources on their site.
If you or anyone you know thinks they might have been a victim of these alleged crimes, contact KCEN or Texas Today reporter Meredith Haas.