Bladen County Sheriff’s Office warns of possible driveway scam

BLADEN COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Beware of a group of men driving around offering to give you gravel, according to Sheriff James McVicker.

Surveillance photo of men tied to possible driveway scam (Photo: Bladen County Sheriffs Office)

McVicker says on Wednesday, a group of men driving a gray pickup and a large white truck with gravel approached a home and told the man they had some gravel left over from a job nearby and offered to give it to him.

After they started spreading the gravel, they gave the man a bill for $4,000.00.  McVicker says the man told them he did not have that and they finally said they would do it for $500.00, or he could make payments.

McVicker said the man called his son, who is a law enforcement officer, and the son was going to talk to them. But when the men heard that, they loaded up their truck and left.

(Photo: Bladen County Sheriffs Office)

“This is a variation on a flim flam that seems to come around in the spring of the year,” said McVicker. There is a group from around Augusta Georgia/South Carolina who make their living going around offering to paint barn roofs or seal driveways. Once they do the work, with inferior paint or sealant, they want to charge exorbitant prices. They also try to gain entry to the home to steal small items of jewelry or money. This is the first time I have heard of them offering to gravel a driveway but it is just a variation on an old scam we see come around every spring.”

McVicker urged all homeowners to be aware of this type of scam and not to fall for it. Look for out of state tags on the vehicles and get the tag number and a vehicle description if you can safely do so.

Report any suspicious activity to law enforcement immediately.