Someone at your door offers driveway paving? It’s a scam, SLO County sheriff warns
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office warned residents of an asphalt paving scam reported in the Nipomo area.
According to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to calls for service related to asphalt paving scams in the township of Huasna in January and again last week in Nipomo.
In the scam, individuals pose as contractors who approach homeowners door-to-door offering discounted driveway paving services, according to the release.
The scam typically involves a traveling sales crew who will claim they can use leftover materials from a nearby job, offering to complete work quickly and at a reduced price, according to the release.
“In reality, these materials are rarely leftover, and the work performed is often substandard,” the release read. “Victims frequently report that the asphalt applied is too thin, improperly installed, or of inferior quality, resulting in driveways that begin to crack and deteriorate shortly after completion.”
Then, once the work was done, the scammers demanded much more money, with prices two, three and even 10 times more than what was verbally agreed on with the homeowner, according to the release.
The Sheriff’s Office advised that homeowners who encounter asphalt contractors going door-to-door should not accept unsolicited offers and should perform background checks such as verifying the contractor’s license and insurance through the California Contractors State License Board or the Better Business Bureau.
Homeowners looking for driveway work should obtain at least three written estimates from other reputable companies and should require a written contract that includes the company’s name, address, contact information and a detailed scope of work plan, the Sheriff’s Office advised.
