Beware: This Paving Scam Could Target Berkshire County Homes

With another Berkshire County winter really not that far away you could be thinking about possibly having your driveway freshly paved. If you are, you will want to exercise caution in just who you hire to do the work. It could end up costing you a lot of money for very little or nothing in return.

This scam could cost you big!

A new report from the Better Business Bureau that serves parts of Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, and Rhode Island says that there have been many reports of unscrupulous contractors that are bilking people out of thousands of dollars. These guys can promise you a good deal and then leave you with poor results - and in some cases nothing. According to the BBB Scam Tracker, some people have been taken for upwards of $8,000!

Promises promises...

This scam works rather simply. The contractor either shows up at your door or maybe leaves a pamphlet for you saying that they are doing work in the area and noticed that your driveway could use some paving and then promises you a great deal. This is where they stick it to you. After you pay them a large percentage of their fee up front, they simply never show up to do the work.

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Attempts to reach them will likely fail...

According to the BBB, these contractors then make it very difficult for you to find them. The phone number they gave you may not work or the email they gave you may not be a valid email address.

How can I avoid being scammed?

The BBB says that you can follow a few simple guidelines to avoid being ripped off. They say that you should be wary of any unsolicited offers, research the company before you decide to hire them, make sure that you get everything in writing, stagger your payments, and use a safe method of payment like a credit card. The credit card company will help in cases of fraud.

We will keep you posted on scams as we hear about them, but if you want to sign up for BBB Scam Alerts, you can do so, HERE.