Don’t Fall Victim to Driveway Sealing and Paving Scams in the Utica-Rome Area

'Tis the season for asphalt and sealing scams. Residents are reporting getting scammed by shady paving and driveway sealing "businesses" in Utica and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Reputable driveway sealing and paving companies won't resort to shady practices to make a buck, but others aren't so upstanding. Reports of paving and sealing scams are on the rise.

On the neighborhood app "Nextdoor" a Sauquoit man reported his elderly neighbors were scammed by a "guy that called himself the 'driveway man'". The 'driveway man' refused to give the elderly couple an estimate and they, unknowingly, let him seal their driveway. He then demanded three times the going rate for sealing.

A similar incident happened in Utica when a woman was approached by a man who said he had a bit a blacktop left, and he could give her a deal on patching the end of her driveway. He too ended up charging well over the going rate.

In both cases, the vendors refused to offer an estimate and gave the homeowner a sense of urgency to pressure them to make a decision.

The Asphalt King offers the following tips to avoid getting taken by a sealing or asphalt scam:

• Never accept a ‘now or never’ quote
• Ask for references, contact info, and product information
• Call or email the contact info to make sure they respond
• Get a complete quote, with details of repairs and product used
• Make sure there is a guarantee
• Ask questions