Traveling con artists posing as asphalt contractors are targeting Upper Peninsula homeowners and businesses as paving season picks up, the Luce County Sheriff's Department warned on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
The department released a public advisory focused on the Newberry area and surrounding communities, The Mining Journal reported. Senior citizens are the scammers' most frequent targets, the department said. Groups it called "traveling criminals" arrive in Michigan each paving season, knock on doors and pressure homeowners into on-the-spot deals for driveway or parking lot work.
The department listed six warning signs:
- Door-to-door sales. Reputable asphalt contractors rarely sell their services at the door, the department said.
- "Leftover" asphalt claims. Professional contractors calculate material needs precisely and seldom have surplus from another job.
- Pressure for a quick decision. A legitimate contractor will provide a written estimate good for days or weeks. If the deal disappears by the next day, the department said, it is likely a scam.
- No written contract. The department urged homeowners to insist on a contract specifying the work and a total price, not a per-square-foot rate that can balloon once the job starts.
- Cash-only payment. Most established contractors accept checks or credit cards.
- Unmarked trucks or out-of-town contact information. A quick search will often reveal no permanent address, and the phone number may route to an answering machine, the department said.
The department advised residents to ask any contractor for references and check them before signing anything. If a quoted price seems unusually low, the quality of the finished work will likely match, the department cautioned.
WBUP/WJMN also reported the advisory, noting that scammers frequently offer deeply discounted prices to lure homeowners. No specific fraud incidents in Luce County were cited in the warning.
Residents who encounter a suspicious paving solicitation can contact the Luce County Sheriff's Department.
