If your driveway needs paving or repairs, don’t trust just anyone to do the job. BBB Scam Tracker hasreceived numerous reports of unscrupulous contractors who trick homeowners with supposedly gooddeals. Homeowners end up with shoddy pavement − or nothing at all − to show for what they paid and,in some cases, have lost over $8,000 in the process.
How the scam worksA contractor leaves a pamphlet or shows up at the door. They claim they have been doing work in thearea and just happened to notice the condition of your driveway or sidewalk. Since they are alreadyworking nearby, they can give you a discount. If the price is agreeable, they will then ask for a largepercentage of the fee upfront. There is some hesitancy if there is a question on the price or detailsabout the business and its location.
Once the transaction is complete, the scam contractor may disappear altogether. The contact number oremail may not work, quickly helping you realize that the contact information was a sham. If you protest,the contractor may use intimidation tactics, such as threatening a lawsuit, to convince you to pay up.In other cases, once complete, the contractor’s work is shoddy and unprofessional, but the full paymenthas been made. Reaching the company the contractor allegedly represented is impossible, or anothercompany was impostored in the process. In any of these scenarios, the chances of getting a refund orthe work fixed are slim.
How to avoid contractor scams• Be wary of unsolicited…
