Lessons from Delaware: Woman scammed homeowners, officials say

Lessons from Delaware: Woman scammed homeowners, officials say
Written by
TERRI SANGINITI
A 53-year-old Millsboro woman, working under the guise that she represented a missionary group, was arrested last week for home-improvement fraud for allegedly leading customers to believe that home repairs done by the religious group's contractors were tax-deductible, authorities said.

Lana Lee Pierce, who also goes by Lana Preston, was charged May 5 with 12 felony and misdemeanor charges, including five counts of home-improvement fraud, three counts of identity theft, three counts of felony theft and criminal impersonation, said the state Attorney General's Office.

The case was investigated by the agency's consumer protection unit and state police.

Pierce claimed to represent a nonprofit called Serenity House Group Ministries and told elderly homeowners that the group made home repairs that were tax-deductible.

She used a checking account, address and federal tax number belonging to a legitimate organization called Delaware Bridges, which she was not authorized to use, officials say. Authorities allege that using the false information, Pierce charged $17,000 from Nuttle Lumber for which she never paid.