Yakima Police Scam Alert: Out-of-town Pavers Swindle Residents!

It's a scam that's taken thousands of dollars from Yakima residents.

SCAMMING YAKIMA SINCE 2011

It's called the paving scam and scammers are now searching for victims in the Grant County area. The Grant County Sheriff's Office is warning of the door-to-door paving scam making the rounds that's been a problem for years in the Yakima Valley. Officials with the Better Business Bureau say if it's happening in Grant County it could be happening in Yakima County as well.  The first warning from local authorities came back in 2011 when Yakima Police warned people about the asphalt paving scam that is still gaining victims. According to news stories by KIT some people in Yakima have lost upwards of $10,000 in the scam.

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THE SCAM WORKS

Police say a man approaches homeowners offering discounted asphalt work-often claiming to have leftover materials from another job. Crews show up in unmarked vehicles offering low prices, delivering poor-quality work, then disappearing-or demanding more money than quoted.

THEY'RE GONE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT

Local authorities and officials from the Grant County Sheriff's Office say always be cautious of contractors who show up uninvited, use high-pressure sales tactics, ask for large cash deposits and won’t provide written estimates or proof of licensing. Authorities say after you agree to the work but notice the job wasn't done properly or left unfinished it's too late because the person or so called company is gone.

HIRE BUSINESSES YOU TRUST

Many of the paver scammers are from out of the area. Police say stick with local companies you know so you don't become a victim of the paving scam. Any questions you may have about a legitimate business can be found at the Better Business Bureau at bbb.org.