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CTV News
10 hours ago
- CTV News
Ontario police warn of increase in driveway paving and roofing scams
Huge pile of asphalt left by workers at the end of Paulet Blenman's driveway in Ajax. (CTV News) The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has issued a warning following an increase in driveway paving and roofing scams they say are happening across the province. According to the OPP, some contractors are going door-to-door using fake names, promising great deals and demanding cash, but doing poor quality work and leaving messes behind. 'All the information is not correct, they don't answer the phone, there is no way you can leave a message. You can't send an email, you can't contact them,' Paulet Blenman of Ajax, Ont. told CTV News Toronto last week. Blenman had her driveway paved a month ago and said the contractors who offered the services came knocking on the door, and once they completed the work, she said they left her driveway lumpy and uneven with ants already burrowing in it. She ended up paying $6,000 to have it repaved. In Luigi Raffaele's case, he told CTV News someone also knocked on his door in East York. That contractor said he would do a sealing job as well as some additional work, but once Raffaele paid $3,900 upfront, he said the contractor never came back. 'I feel cheated and that's not nice.' On Tuesday, OPP issued a warning stating contractors are going door-to-door pressuring homeowners into paving driveways, repairing roofs and other home renovations. 'They may seem professional, with flyers and websites, but often they are using fake names and false IDs,' said Sgt. Joe Brisebois, coordinator of media services with the OPP. 'They will ask for cash upfront and in the end, they will leave behind a poor quality job and you will never hear from them again,' Brisebois added. To avoid falling victim to these scams, the OPP is urging the public to beware of unsolicited door-to-door sales, not to feel pressured into having work done, researching companies carefully, getting multiple quotes and to not pay in advance. Police also said if you're not careful, you could be the one picking up the pieces of a botched paving job. But, if you do agree to have your driveway paved or your roof repaired and the contractor does a poor job, it doesn't mean the police will get involved and lay charges. Once someone is hired, it becomes a civil matter and you would have to take them to court.
CTV News
17-05-2025
- CTV News
OPP warns homeowners may not be the only victims of fraudulent contractors
An OPP cruiser is pictured in this undated photo. (Source: OPP Central Region) The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) renews its warnings about fraudulent paving contractors in the region, noting that homeowners may not be the only victims. This comes after police were called to several reports of paving scams, where fake contractors go door-to-door asking for jobs with a solid persistence that persuades victims to pay for unfinished jobs in eastern Ontario over the past few years, police said in a news release. 'One rarely recognized aspect of these disreputable companies is human trafficking,' police said. 'Some of these companies have been found to be exploiting vulnerable worker populations such as unauthorized migrant labourers.' Police say vulnerable workers may be poorly paid and treated badly while being 'afraid to speak up due to fear of reprisals.' The OPP shares some tips to avoid falling victims to scammers: Be cautious when opening the door and accepting services from strangers. Make sure flashy flyers and websites are owned by real companies. Always sign a contract before agreeing to allow any contractor to start a job to avoid unforeseen problems. If you are a vulnerable resident, be careful as some scammers target seniors and request payments for 'today only jobs.' When a payment is requested upfront or before the job is completed, you might be falling a victim. Be careful with too-good-to-be-true deals, as they might be fake. Anyone who believes they have been a victim of a fraud is asked to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122, or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
