Expat Community > Ecuador

patmar
Joined 2012
Posts: 11

Always do background checks

12 years ago

I hired an individual in the Nanegalito (near to Mindo) area to build a house for me. I had known this person for over two years as I had repeatedly stayed at his hostel. He referred to himself as engineer and assured me he was a fully qualified engineer with four years of University study.
He was now studying to be a lawyer so I assumed he must be telling the truth.

I subsequently found out he was absolutely not an engineer. Unfortunately, this was only the start of his fraudulent behaviour. Despite insisting on invoices for every item this enterprising individual thenpresent with signed contract for the manufacture and installation of windows. He then persuades the carpenter to have the windows open only on one side for a cost of $1000 less. He then pockets the difference. There are several other incidents which I could mention, but suffice it to say they run along the same line.

The biggest problem of all is the legal system in Ecuador. After retaining a top lawyer and producing mountains of evidence and every conceivable are of due diligence the fiscal in Quito dismisses the case on the ground of not sufficient proof. I have now taken the matter to my Ministry of Foreign Affairs in my country.

Always do thorough background check

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