Being taken advantage of and conned into paying a scammer is one of the worst things that could happen to you. Especially with how much a paving job costs, you’d end up having to pay a legitimate paving contractor in the future anyways. Don’t fall for these scams and be ready to read the signs of a paving scam.
Signs You’re Being Targeted by a Paving Scam
Scams happen all the time and it isn’t too strange to hear that one of your friends or acquaintances were a victim in a paving scam. This is especially true because you only have to deal with looking for a paving company to pave your road or driveway once every decade or so. During that time that you’re not looking, scammers develop new tactics and strategies to weasle you out of your money. To help you avoid being the next tally mark in a long line of paving scams, we’ve put together a few telltale signs that you’re being scammed.
They’re Not Insured
Insurance is an important part of any business that involves renovating. In this case, renovating or paving your driveway or road. Without insurance, any accidents that occur will be blamed on you and you can end up paying insurance premiums for a very long time. These scammers can also threaten to sue you for injuries that occurred on your property. They’ll strong arm you into giving them more money and it can be hard to refuse with a lawsuit being pointed in your face.
They Don’t Take Checks or Credit Cards
You might be wondering why scammers don’t like to take checks or credit cards. It’s simple, you can’t charge back with straight cash. They’ll run as soon as they get the opportunity to escape with your money and paying a straight payment will help them do that. Make sure to stick with checks and credit cards whenever you’re paying for something as big as a paving project. This lets you safeguard your money and make sure that you have a method to charge back in case something goes wrong.
They’re Asking for Advance Payments
Similar to not taking checks or credit cards, this is a paving scam where as soon as the scammers get the money, they’ll immediately run. This can easily be avoided with a written agreement however. This lets you take them to court if they do decide to run. Rejecting to sign a written agreement is a clear sign that you’re being targeted by a paving scam.
They Don’t Have a Permanent Location
A permanent location is a great way to scout for a great paving company. However, there will be pavers going door to door offering you “deals you can’t refuse”. These people handing out flyers and offering you the “best deal of your life” are most likely scammers trying to make a quick buck off of you.
They’re Unwilling To Share Their History or They Don’t Have One At All
Most reputable paving companies will gladly show you a record of everything they’ve done before. From small paving jobs to the biggest ones. It’s a way for them to prove that they do good and honest work. Scammers on the other hand will try to blind you with discounts and avoid sharing their past work. This is to make sure that you don’t catch wind of any of their shady work.
