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HOLDEN, Mass. — Holden Police responded Friday to a report of a paving scam at a home in Holden, and the department is warning residents to be on guard of similar contractor schemes.
On July 20, Detective Jonathan Santimore investigated a possible scam involving driveway repair at a home on Bailey Road. Officers learned that a resident was approached by a man in a pick-up truck who claimed that he had some extra asphalt and would give him a deal to pave his driveway.
The homeowner and the man agreed on a price per square foot, but the paving company employee would not give an estimate at the homeowner’s request.
Furthermore, once the job was done, police said the foreman of the paving company gave the homeowner an invoice for an exorbitant amount. After discussing the invoice, the homeowner relented and wrote a check, yet the bank contacted the homeowner and the check was canceled before the man could cash it.
Under The Federal Trade Commission's Cooling-Off Rule, customers have three days to cancel purchases of $25 for sales initiated at the buyer's home.
The Holden Police Department continues to investigate the incident and has contacted the State Fusion Center and other law enforcement agencies. Some of the workers in this scam have been identified.
In order to help residents protect themselves from similar scams, the department has provided the following list of indications and tips:
- The contractor says there are leftover materials from another job.
- Pressure to make a quick decision
- You are asked to pay cash
- The company is from out of the state
Police make the following recommendations when it comes to these types of paving scams:
- If the price is unreasonably low, the quality of the work and the material will also be low
- Don’t feel pressured in making a decision quickly
- Check the business out before hiring them
- Demand a written contract before any work is performed
- If you think you have been scammed by a paving crew, contact the police department immediately.
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