Don’t Fall For The Door-to-door Contractor Scam
The Orange County Sheriff is issuing a warning to residents after a new scam has been reported involving door-to-door contractors.
Sheriff Paul Arteta is warning residents about a rising scam reported across Orange County involving widespread home improvement fraud committed by "traveling or unlicensed contractors."
Door-to-Door Contractor Scam
Police say "corrupt crews go door-to-door, offering cheap, unsolicited driveway paving or sealing services" with the goal to trick victims into "paying inflated prices for substandard work that quickly deteriorates."
The Sheriff warned of a common variation of the scam : the "asphalt millings" scam. Someone will reportedly knock on doors and claim they have leftover materials from a nearby job. They then use cheap asphalt millings, lay them improperly without a proper base, and demand cash payments.
In most cases, police say these scammers insist on full cash payment upfront, which is not standard practice for legitimate paving companies.
Most reputable companies will request a deposit and/or require a half-payment, but they should never demand full cash payment before starting the job. That is a red flag.
While not all door-to-door solicitors are scams, there are some red flags to watch out for:
- They create a sense of urgency, insisting everything needs to be done immediately;
- lack a business name or business cards;
- refuse to provide an estimate in writing;
- avoid introducing themselves with both their first and last names;
- no callback phone number or email address;
- asking personal questions like: who is home and how many people live there.
The Sheriff is urging anyone who may have fallen victim to a similar scam, to notify the Orange County Sheriff's Office Investigations Bureau at 845-862-4033
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