The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) is warning residents to be on alert after an elderly Clarksburg resident was recently targeted in a paving scam. The incident was shared by MCPD District 5 Commander Captain Nick Picerno, who noted that scammers often perform little to no work or use substandard materials, frequently targeting elderly residents.
According to Captain Picerno, homeowners should never hire individuals who show up unsolicited offering driveway or home repair services. He urged residents to ask for identification and business credentials, verify licenses, avoid paying in full upfront, and never agree to on-the-spot jobs without a written contract. Victims are encouraged to report incidents immediately.
Earlier this year, the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection warned residents about a rise in similar scams following multiple reports from homeowners. These scams typically involve unlicensed workers who offer low-cost paving or resurfacing services but deliver poor-quality work, leave jobs unfinished, or demand unexpected additional payments.
“It’s incredibly frustrating to see these kinds of scams resurface again and again, especially when they target people right at their front doors,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “No one should have to deal with intimidation, deception, or shoddy work from people pretending to be legitimate businesses. I appreciate the work of our Office of Consumer Protection and police in responding quickly and preventing more residents from being harmed.”
OCP Investigator Lee Glass explained that these scammers often go door-to-door, pressuring homeowners by claiming that neighbors have hired them or by lowering prices for cash payments. “The work performed is typically substandard, does not conform to the agreed-upon work, and may have been started without the homeowner’s permission,” Glass said. “Over the last two months, we have seen a rise in these cases. Our goal is to educate the public so that they can better protect themselves from these scammers.”
In one recent case, quick action from OCP and MCPD led to the impounding of a pickup truck, trailer, and paving machine linked to an unlicensed group that had paved more than a dozen driveways in one neighborhood. Investigators continue working to identify and stop these fraudulent operations before more residents are victimized.
Scammers often arrive in unmarked trucks and claim they have leftover materials from nearby work, offering quick, discounted jobs. Officials urge residents to take extra caution, confirm credentials, and report any suspicious activity to local authorities or the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection immediately.
The Office of Consumer Protection is located at 100 Maryland Ave., Suite 3600, in Rockville. Walk-in hours are from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday. For more information or to file a consumer complaint call 240-777-3636 or visit the OCP website.
