• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Man accused of conning Home Depot out of $300,000 with door-return scam

Home> News> World News

Published 17:32 5 Aug 2023 GMT+1

Man accused of conning Home Depot out of $300,000 with door-return scam

Alexandre Henrique Costa-Mota has been accused of fraudulently earning Home Depot store credits.

Ella Scott

Ella Scott

Federal prosecutors say an American man is accused of defrauding Home Depot of nearly $300,000 (£230,500) in store credit.

Official documents allege that Alexandre Henrique Costa-Mota, 26, would pose as a contractor so that he could collect doors from Home Depot stores.

The US Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island said that the Connecticut man would pick up Andersen doors and leave the store without paying for them.

Later, he would allegedly return and attempt to get a ‘refund’ without a receipt. In exchange, he would often be given store credit.

Advert

As per court reports, Costa-Mota apparently applied this technique across eight states and 61 individual stores between June 2021 and February 2022.

Prosecutors stated that the 26-year-old would enter into Home Depot stores 'dressed to appear like a contractor', and had a ‘measuring tape clipped to his pants’.

Officials also said that in-store CCTV cameras showed that the Connecticut native always wore ‘the same pair of shoes and had a gold watch on his left wrist’ while completing the refund scheme.

Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Advert

Insider reports that a Secret Service agent who investigated the case said that Costa-Mota would first collect the items and then proceed to load them onto a lumber cart.

Then, he would bring them back into the store, head to the service department, and attempt to get a refund.

The agent said that he often succeeded in the fraud by using fake driver’s licenses, or fraudulent identification cards containing made-up names, facts and figures.

Documents said: “At times, when the stores refused to accept the receiptless returns, Costa-Mota simply exited the stores with the Anderson doors without paying for them.”

Advert

He’d then would apparently head over to another Home Depot branch, repeat the process, and try his luck there instead.

It’s reported that the 26-year-old travelled to outlets in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maine to complete fraudulent transactions. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey were also apparently on his hit list.

Prosecutors claimed some of the stolen doors were valued between $350-$400 (£274-£313) which earned Costa-Morta 370 store credits over the nine-month period.

indsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
indsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Advert

As per officials, this is estimated to be worth $297,332 (£233,200).

After receiving the store credit, he would allegedly redeem it at other Home Depot stores, mainly across Connecticut and other neighbouring states.

On July 26, 2023, a federal grand jury in Providence charged Costa-Mota with wire fraud and conspiracy.

The American was arraigned before a United States Magistrate Judge on August 1 and was detained without bail.

Advert

However, documents note that the federal criminal indictment is ‘merely an accusation’.

“A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”

Featured Image Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/ Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Topics: Crime, US News, Police

Ella Scott
Ella Scott

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

4 hours ago
5 hours ago
  • 4 hours ago

    Scientists explain why 'mankeeping' is the reason women are 'quiet-quitting' relationships

    It's all to do with a 'male friendship recession' where women are apparently picking up the slack...

    News
  • 4 hours ago

    Where to watch 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later as 28 Years Later is released

    The third instalment of the franchise hits theatres in America on June 20

    Film & TV
  • 5 hours ago

    Scientists issue disturbing warning with exactly how much time we have left to limit climate change

    Scientists have described it as 'crunch time' to reach a previously set target

    News
  • 5 hours ago

    Influencer found dead before husband took his own life allegedly shared disturbing Facebook post hours earlier

    Zaria Khadejah Carr allegedly made a plea before her death hours later in Georgia

    News
  • Mom speaks out after her three daughters were found dead following visit with their dad
  • Daughter arrested after mother with dementia is mauled to death in home with 54 dogs
  • Woman gives abominable excuse for falsely accusing man she had never met of attempted rape
  • Man accused of shooting wife and four young children after birthday party