Florida Single Mom Falls Victim to Elaborate Scam: Concrete Driveway Stolen After Putting Home on Market, Leaving Her with $10k Replacement Bill 

A Florida mother faced a costly scam after putting her home up for sale, as scammers orchestrated the removal of her driveway, leaving her with a $10,000 bill for replacement just weeks before her planned move.

Amanda Brochu listed her home in Apopka, Florida, for sale in December. Soon after, individuals arrived at her $289,000 property, attempting to measure her concrete driveway. One contractor revealed that a person named Andre had inquired about a driveway replacement quote at Brochu's address but backed out when asked for payment and proof of ownership.

As Brochu was preparing to leave for the holidays, she received a doorbell camera notification that crews were tearing up her driveway. Upon her return, she found her driveway gone, having fallen victim to a scam where scammers enlist contractors to work on homes, leaving the homeowner responsible for the bill.

The contractor Brochu confronted showed her text messages indicating that Andre had received a $7,200 quote for driveway replacement and had agreed to it but claimed he couldn't provide the deposit. Brochu contacted the Orange County Sheriff's Office, leading to an attempt to contact Andre.

Initially, Andre denied the accusations and hung up on the police, later stating it was a mistake and providing them with a supposed contractor's number, which turned out to be the Orlando airport's phone number. Subsequently, her driveway was removed, leaving a dirt track.

Unable to afford the $10,000 replacement cost, Brochu sought help. A local radio sponsor, upon learning about the incident, offered to replace the driveway for free. Brochu plans to donate the funds raised from her GoFundMe to charity.

Brochu's real estate agent, Rocki Sanchez, expressed shock at the situation and learned it might be part of a scam. The four-bedroom, two-bathroom house is currently listed on Zillow for $289,990, with a commitment to install a new driveway before closing.