The town of Westlock released a public service announcement on May 12 warning of potential paving scams in the area.
Numerous complaints were reported about paving contractors who claimed to offer discount prices for paving with “extra materials.” The paving done by these supposed contractors was often poor quality and unfinished. The scammers have been reported to use misleading business names which make their companies seem legitimate.
“They’re using the fact they have leftover material but they’re not really giving them a great deal,” said town of Westlock director of operations Robin Benoit. “They’re charging more than what a company would normally charge for that service. People should do their due diligence with the contractor before they commit to their service.”
Paving scams haven’t been limited to Westlock County and have seen a rise across Alberta.
An elderly couple in Sturgeon County also alleged they had been scammed by a paving company called “PJ Keller.” The couple made various allegations against the company ranging from complaints about the quality of their work to claiming the company wasn’t a real business and that the address they provided in Leduc was unoccupied.
John Moore, a PJ Keller employee addressed these allegations by claiming that the alleged scam was a misunderstanding that had been blown out of proportion. Moore claimed that the couple had expected their driveway to be paved with asphalt but had actually agreed to pave a chip seal driveway. Moore also claimed that the company’s address in Leduc was a mailing address and that he stored his equipment for paving at home.
Paving scams across Alberta are currently being investigated by the RCMP.
