Daycare providers warn of childcare scam - NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News

The warnings are popping up on Craigslist. Chesterfield daycare providers say a mom is taking her son to their homes for daycare, and then skipping to the next provider without paying.

The reported victims think the mother, who goes by Natashia, found them on Craigslist. So now, they're posting warnings to other providers to watch out for this mother.

The paragraph long warnings are all very much the same--a sob story of a mother needing emergency care for her son, excuse after excuse why she can't pay and then a daycare provider claiming she was left without payment.

One warning on Craigslist says, "While you are babysitting her son, she is already looking for another daycare for the next week."

Another says, "Parent is a liar and a scammer...And then told the provider she had no money."

The claims say the mother is named Natasha, Tosha, and Natashia. All of them list the same name and age for the child.

One of her alleged victims is Melanie Reams.

"She said I'm working as a housekeeper and I don't get paid this week because my boss's husband died," said Reams. "I said, ok, since it's a short week, I will just charge you $75 this week. I'll cut you a break. I'm a mother too."

But Reams said things weren't adding up. Natashia kept making excuses for not signing a contract and not paying her rate.

"I said, I'm never going to see you again and you're not coming back here to pay me, are you?" said Reams. "And she stood on my doorstep and said well, I, uh…and I said never mind and I just closed the door and walked away."

But then Reams had a feeling and she started ringing up other providers.

"And they said- oh my gosh! Natashia- she owes me money!" said Reams of her conversation. "I took care of her son for a week and she never paid me. I thought now, I'm going to call another lady at a different daycare and she said the same things. Natasha? Clay? You took care of him? Oh my goodness! I took care of him and they owe me money!"

And several phone calls later, Melanie knew there was a pattern and a problem.  

Melanie says she called police and a few weeks later, Natashia paid her so she wouldn't get in trouble. We reached out to Natashia on the number she provided at least two of her providers as emergency contacts for her son. She hung up on our reporter.

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