A closet & organized storage business in North Carolina hired a seemingly experienced closet designer who took equipment, services, and a paycheck before disappearing. After the business reported the scammer to police, Association of Closet and Storage Professionals (ACSP) representatives were notified, which alarmed other organized storage companies and franchises, including the Closet Institute of America (CIA).

In a Facebook post, the Closet Institute of America notified its members in a B.O.L.O. (Be On the Look Out) warning with a picture of the suspected scammer. Multiple closet company owners, from multiple states such as Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina, Colorado, agreed that this person had also worked for them for a period of time, resulting in lost wages and stolen equipment.

While the individual's name and photo have circulated widely within industry groups, local authorities have not yet publicly released an official statement. Companies are advised to remain alert and report any contact with suspected scammers to law enforcement and relevant industry associations.

"[He] told us he was in Colorado, and he wanted to leave the closet company he helped start up there," says one business owner on the Facebook post. "He did mention he was also looking into moving to North Carolina." 

"He has scammed a few of our members and contacted others, putting himself off as an experienced designer and salesman," says Jeff Klein, conference director of CIA. "It has been reported to us that he is a 'confidence' hustler with a previous criminal record." 

"This is no joke. I hired the guy a year or so ago as a designer and got taken for a few thousand dollars in credit card fraud," says another business owner. "He came across as very experienced." As the discussion continued, additional companies and designers weighed in with their experiences with the suspect. Details about the individual and his crimes was shared between business owners, and authorities working on the case were contacted with the new information. 

Investigations remains open across two states. Further details will be added as they become available to share.