Driveway sealing solicitors scamming Hanover residents with diluted products
VENN
HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Door-to-door driveway sealing solicitors are scamming Hanover County residents with heavily diluted products, authorities say.
On Wednesday, March 25, the Hanover County Sheriff's Office posted a scam alert on Facebook, calling attention to a door-to-door solicitation scam targeting Hanover residents.
These scammers are visiting Hanover homes and offering driveway sealing services, "often unsolicited and even when the service is not needed," authorities said.
"These individuals typically advertise an 'incredible deal' or claim they have leftover materials from a nearby job, pressuring homeowners into making a quick decision," the sheriff's office explained. "While it may sound like a bargain, these are often scams."
The products these scammers use are often heavily diluted with water, authorities said -- meaning your driveway may look good when it's first applied, but all it takes is one rainy day to make it disappear, "leaving homeowners with little to no actual protection and out of their money."
The sheriff's office provided the following tips that can help you avoid falling victim to such a scam:
- Always be cautious of any unsolicited door-to-door offers
- Never feel pressured to make an immediate decision
- Before agreeing to any services, research the involved company
- Don't pay any large sums upfront
Above all else, authorities stressed that you should trust your instincts.
"If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is," the sheriff's office said.
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If you think you've been targeted by this scam, or if you encounter any suspicious activity, you are asked to call the Hanover County Sheriff's Office at 804-365-6140.
