AC company convinced 103-year-old WWII vet to pay $24K, son says [View all]

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Steve Klein tried to protect his 103-year-old father from exploitation as Fred Klein's memory began to decline.

Steve took over his father's bank accounts, bills and power of attorney. He took him to visit high-quality assisted-living facilities.

But Fred — a former World War II pilot who flew more than 60 bombing runs over the South Pacific and swam competitively until he was a centenarian — refused to move out of the Tucson retirement community where he lives alone, drives his own golf cart and dates a former beauty queen.

So Steve — who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona — and a troop of Fred's friends try their best to keep an eye on him instead.

Things were going well until a few months ago, Steve said, when Fred decided to spruce up his 20-year-old home.

Fred called Orangutan Home Services, a repair company he had used for more than a decade, to inspect his air conditioning. He didn't remember to consult Steve.

The day of the inspection, Fred agreed to pay more than $24,000 to buy two new units and a 10-year labor warranty.

Without access to credit cards or checks, Fred took out a 12-year loan that Orangutan offered through a financing company. If he made the minimum payments, he would pay nearly $18,000 in interest, documents show.

"I don't want to leave (Steve and his brother) a pig in a poke. I want to leave them something that's in top shape," Fred said. "But when Steve got in on the act, things changed. I found out I had been not smart about this."

Steve said that he was furious when he learned about the purchase. He believes Orangutan took advantage of his father and overcharged him.

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https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ac-company-convinced-103-year-old-wwii-vet-to-pay-dollar24k-son-says/ar-AACAtJY?li=BBnbcA1