MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Miss (WCBI)- Crews are breathing some new life into old scams across the area.
The Carroll and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Offices are warning residents about gravel and asphalt scammers.
According to the sheriff’s office, the alleged scammers are preying mainly on elderly residents by offering work for a small fee and then demanding more money using threatening tactics, before finishing the job.
John O’Hara CEO of the Better Business Bureau in Mississippi, says this con is not new; however, the scammers are finding new ways to get more money out of their victims..
“So you probably had an unlicensed unbonded person, uninsured individual working around your house. What does that mean? You don’t know who’s doing the work around your house also if they get hurt on your property and they don’t have any insurance because they are not a company. You are responsible for that,” said O’Hara.
With the popularity of social media for advertisement and recommendation, O’Hara advises residents to go the extra mile to find reputable contractors.
“People can just put reviews out there, I just got an email today from someone who is offering me to buy 1,000 positive reviews for my business. They can guarantee it, and they don’t know even know what I do, but it is priced . People sell reviews,” said O’Hara.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office also wants residents to be alert and be thorough when hiring contractors for any type of work. And to report scammers, if this has happened to them.
“They need to just have something in writing and then if they start pressuring then and it not what they say then call us call some law enforcement get us involved before you write them a check or give them some money especially if you feel like you are being taken advantage of. Best thing that they can do is get some writing some kind of legal document,” said Sheriff Jeff Tompkins.
And most of all..
“Be smart, be careful; it’s not about just getting a good deal it’s about being safe as well,” said O’Hara.
The Better Business Bureau advises residents before hiring a door-to-door contractor to request business information, beware of high-pressure sell tactics and, get everything in writing.
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