WASHINGTON — Investigators with sheriff’s office in Frederick County, Maryland, are looking for a suspect in a home improvement scam.

They said on Wednesday the suspect identifies himself to victims as Tom Ruffner, owner of TWR Heating and Air. He then makes deals with residents to do repair work on their homes.

But there’s a catch. During the scam, the sheriff’s office said, Ruffner claims to need money for equipment upfront.

After the money is deposited, he starts to work on the job, then disappears. The money is never returned and the victims of the scam do not receive the equipment.

The sheriff’s office believes Ruffner does not have a valid Maryland Home Improvement License. They said his business license expired in March of this year.

Anyone who believes they are a victim of this scam is asked to call Sgt. Tracey McCutcheon of the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office at 301-600-1732 or e-mail tmccutcheon@frederickcountymd.gov.