Paving Scam Being Reported In DeKalb Co.

DeKalb County Sheriff Patrick Ray warning residents about driveway paving scams.

Ray said his department has had some reports of contractors contacting residents to perform such work.

He says many times the quality of work can be poor and the cost much higher than originally quoted. Sometimes the workers will leave before they complete the work.

“Most of what we see come through are signed contracts with small print on the bottom of them that excludes some things that the homeowner thinks they are getting. That makes it a civil rather than a criminal action,” Ray said.

Department of Commerce and Insurance Communications Director Kevin Walters said there are some red flags you can look out for.

“Watch out for someone who’s a contractor that goes door-to-door selling their services or a person who offers services for a short time only,” Walters said. If that contractor drives an unmarked truck or van, that’s another red flag that you as a consumer should be watchful of.”

Walters said you should never feel pressured to pay more than half the cost up front. He also said it’s a good idea to make sure the contractor has a valid license and insurance.

“When it comes to having a license, that’s important for you to as a consumer to remember,” Walters said. “If something goes wrong we can take disciplinary action after the completion of an investigation.”

You can also go to verify.tn.gov to look up if a contractor is properly licensed or contact the department to find out any complaints and disciplinary history against the contractor.