(Bancroft, Ontario) During the month of July 2013, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received the report of a driveway paving fraud. In this particular incident a home owner was approached and offered to have their driveway paved with asphalt removed from another area. When the home owner was charged a large amount for the work, they contacted police.
The Bancroft OPP wish to remind Bancroft area residents to be aware of construction fraud and home repair scams. In many cases the home owners are approached by the fraudsters who offer jobs including roofing and home repair, paving and lawn maintenance.
There are many ways to prevent these types of fraud such as:
Be suspicious if you are approached for the repairs or work..
Check identification and references of the company.
Make sure the contractor is licensed.
Get at least 3 written quotes for work that you need completed.
Ask for an itemized bill for the repairs and materials.
Do not give a cash deposit.
Get a contract for the work being completed.
Make any cheque payable to the company name and ensure the cheque is written in a way that can’t be altered.
There are many credible and reputable contractors and businesses that will provide the above information requested by customers.
