Sunshine Coast Police are warning residents to be mindful of people going door-to-door offering bitumen services at reduced prices.
In some cases the scammers are leaving business cards and supplying quotations by email, requiring a signature prior to work being commenced.
Police understand that these scammers have recently been active in the Nambour, Federal and Pomona areas.
The scammers present in high vis workwear, wearing protective boots and travel in hire vehicles.
It has been reported that these scammers have English accents and often tell victims that they have left over bitumen from another job and that their boss has instructed them to sell it off at a discounted price to get rid of it quickly.
The jobs are often completed in record time, however, the materials used are of very low quality and the ground is not prepared properly.
This adds up to be a considerable cost to the victim as the substandard material has to be removed before corrective work can be conducted.
If payment has not been made upfront, the scammers may become aggressive when the finished job is questioned, demanding immediate payment before leaving without rectifying the job.
If you think you have seen or have had contact from these trades persons, police recommend you contact the Office of Fair Trade on 13QGOV (13 74 68) or click here to go to their website.
Remember… if it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.
