Paving scam alert issued in Kingsport

KINGSPORT, Tenn. -

Kingsport police are urging residents to be wary of paving scams.

Police say scam artists are out this time of year, trying to get your money by pretending to be a legitimate busines.

This is certainly not a new issue, as paving scams often surge in the Spring and early Summer each year.

Kingsport police say the single most common technique used by paving scam artists consists of the following ruse:

A scam artist will drive through a neighborhood looking for a driveway that stands out as one that could possibly be in need of repair. He will then stop, completely unsolicited, and approach the homeowner. He will claim that he has some material (asphalt) on his truck that is left over from another job that he can offer at a special reduced rate.

KPD offers this advice: If you encounter anyone touting anything remotely similar to the above narrative, STOPthis is almost always a scam. Ask the individual to leave your property and do not enter into business negotiations with them.

In a recent incident in Kingsport, a paving scam artist verbally offered to re-pave an average size driveway for $2,600. Upon completion, he handed the homeowner a bill for an exorbitant $26,500.

Additional Paving Scam Techniques to be Cautious of:

1) Scammers will often be vague about how much a job will actually cost. Always get a firm quote in writing detailing exactly what work is to be done complete with a mutually agreed upon price.

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Paving scam alert issued in Kingsport