Somerville Police Warn Residents About 'Paving Scam'

Somerville police have issued a warning to residents about contractor scams, particularly one called the "paving scam."

According to an announcement from the police department, the scam works like this:

• A man knocks on your door, says he has extra asphalt, and suggests he can pave your driveway at a discount. He uses high-pressure tactics to make you think you're getting a deal.
• Workers come, but halfway through the job the conman says there was a mistake and now you owe thousands of dollars more than the original price. If you refuse to pay, they'll threaten to stop working.
• Sometimes they'll take you to the bank and force you to withdraw money.

Police say people can avoid becoming victims by:

• Refusing to let solicitors do work on your property
• Searching the Internet for "paving scam;" there's lots of information about it online
• Asking for proof of contractors' insurance. If they don't have insurance and are injured on your property, a claim could be made against your home insurance
• Calling police if unfamiliar contractors are going door-to-door in your neighborhood
• Watching out for neighbors, particularly the elderly
• Calling police if contractors or solicitors won't leave your property after being asked to leave