Scam Alert -- Be Wary of Cheap Paving

If you are looking to have your driveway repaved, be cautious.

The Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation and the Howard County Office of Consumer Affairs are alerting residents of a scam run by unlicensed, traveling contractors after a number of complaints by victims.

"Before hiring or paying anyone, a homeowner should contact the Maryland Home Improvement Commission to check the license status of the individual and company," DLLR Secretary Alexander M. Sanchez said in a statement.

"We thank the Howard County Office of Consumer Affairs for working with us to increase awareness of this important consumer-protection issue."

According to complaints, the unlicensed contractors have offered inexpensive asphalt or sealing services. Instead of using the proper materials, however, the contractors have simply covered driveways with an oil and water mixture, black paint, or other unsuitable materials that will crumble or wash away.

In addition to requiring a contractor's license, anyone who solicits business door-to-door is first required to obtain a solicitor license from the Office of Consumer Affairs.

"Consumers should ask to see the solicitor's registration card and refuse to do business with anyone who does not have one," Howard County Consumer Affairs Administrator Rebecca Bowman said in a statement.

Check whether a contractor is licensed in Maryland.

The Office of Consumer Affairs, at 410.313.6420, can answer questions and complaints regarding solicitors in general and other consumer issues. Additional information is available online at at http://consumer.howardcountymd.gov.

The Maryland Home Improvement Commission is investigating a number of complaints by victims of this scam and several arrest warrants have been issued against fraudulent contractors.