Wisconsin traveling asphalt scam; here's what to watch for
Traveling asphalt scam; what to watch for
Wisconsin officials warned residents of a possible door-to-door asphalt scam in the Waukesha County area.
WAUKESHA COUNTY, Wis. - Wisconsin officials warned residents of a possible door-to-door asphalt scam in the Waukesha County area.
The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection said scammers are going around in just a truck, offering homeowners leftover asphalt.
The crooks offer a seal coat or blacktop driveway at a discount. They then take hundreds or thousands of dollars from homeowners without doing any work or demand more money when the job is only half-done.
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Sometimes, victims won’t know until it’s too late.
"It’s almost always an inferior product," said DATCP Director Michael Domke. "You’ll think you’re getting a good deal, it will look great when they are done, but over time that asphalt will start falling apart, and you’ll see the cracks."
Officials said scammers move from town to town, making it difficult to tack them.
DATCP urges anyone who may come in contact with a scammer to turn them away and contact local law enforcement – taking note of a description of the workers’ vehicles and license plate numbers if possible.
If you have been scammed by a transient asphalt crew and would like to file a complaint, visit DATCP’s Consumer Protection webpage, call DATCP's Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-422-7128 or send an email.