Press Release: Dodge County, WI - Article by AARON MARTIN Staff Reporter, WiscNews.com. Posted by Dan Mayfield.
Police warn of asphalt scam
JUNEAU, WI- Conventional wisdom holds true when it comes to contracting home repairs: If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Police are asking homeowners to keep that edict in mind this summer. Numerous reports have surfaced in and around Dodge County this summer of suspected home repair scams - in particular scams involving asphalt driveways.
"If it seems to good to be true, it probably is"
Dodge County Sheriff's Det. Michael Reissmann is investigating numerous reports of suspects who quote low costs for asphalt work with no written contract, only to force victims to pay dramatically inflated prices once the project is completed. It was most recently reported in the town of Clyman.
"It's illegal and they know it's illegal"
High-pressure sales tactics are hallmarks of the scam. Reissmann said suspects will claim to have leftover asphalt from another job. They'll put it on your driveway for cheap right now - and only now - for a fraction of what the cost should be.
"It's illegal and they know it's illegal," Reissmann said. "The harder they push, the more skeptical you should be."
Reissmann suggests people check a contractor's background using the Better Business Bureau or online circuit court records before entering into a detailed written contract.
"Don't be the victim of a scam"
"The contract needs to be detailed and in depth," he said. "Then any changes to the project need to be done through a descriptive work-change order."
Reissmann asks those who have been solicited by a door-to-door sales person about driveway repair or replacement in the last two weeks to contact The WeTip Anonymous Horline. "Don't be the victim of a scam, be cautious, ask questions and above all if it sounds to good to be true it is," he said.
Contact the WeTip Hotline at 1 (800) 78-CRIME.
Informants May be Eligible for a Reward
All Tips are Completely Anonymous
Anyone with information on such a crime, or who suspects the service provider may be commiting fraud, is asked to contact the WeTip Anonymous Hotline at (800) 78-CRIME or 1-800-782-7463. It is also possible to submit an anonymous tip online at www.wetip.com. Informants may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.00 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in this matter.
When anyone knows of a crime past, present or future, they may call the toll free anonymous WeTip Hotlines (800) 78-CRIME, (800) 47-ARSON, (800) 47-DRUGS and (800) USFRAUD. These lines are staffed by trained, bi-lingual operators and are available to anyone in the United States.
WeTip has aided law enforcement with 492,139 tips, 15,540 arrests, 8,045 convictions, and over $330 million worth of illegal drugs and narcotics have been seized. There has been nearly $24 million worth of stolen property and cash recovered in these cases. WeTip has paid $986,165 in rewards to anonymous callers in the 36 years they have been working 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to turn peoples anger into action. WeTip works closely with law enforcement, fire departments, school and insurance officials throughout the nation to make our communities and schools safer for everyone.