The elderly are a group that seems to be more vulnerable to falling victim to scams — and those scams usually involve some sort of in-home service. According to NBC affiliate 9 News, a Colorado man has been arrested for scamming an elderly woman to the tune of $55,000.

Scams against the elderly aren’t uncommon at all — in fact, they’ve even earned a name for themselves. According to CBS News the elderly lose millions of dollars to “granny scams.” In this case, the man used his carpet cleaning business to scam a woman with multiple health problems.

Spencer Olguin, 43, does operate a legitimate carpet cleaning company, called Prestige Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning. He is accused of accepting checks from an elderly woman for carpet cleaning services that he didn’t actually perform. The elderly woman is legally blind.

>Police in Elbert County, CO say that Olguin did not provide documentation that would support what he charged the woman, like invoices or receipts. They also say that he is being held on a $50,000 bond in Adams County Jail.

Carpet cleaning seems to be a pretty easy way to run a scam, since it offers the scammer access to a person’s home under the guise of an important service. Experts recommend hiring professional carpet cleaning services at least once every year to year and a half. Furthermore, the pounds of dirt and thousands of dust mites that live in carpeting could become a source of irritation for an elderly person’s health.

Part of avoiding scams like this one are to be aware that they do exist and are a possibility. Before hiring any service, it’s also important to do some research about a prospective company by checking into their background, looking for reviews, and asking for references. Additionally, people should avoid paying for services that haven’t yet been performed.