Ashland Police Warn Of Scamming Contractors

ASHLAND (CBS) -- It's a small piece of pavement in front of Bob Mahoney's Ashland home that came with a very big price. The 85-year-old was charged $4,500 by a paving company that showed up at his door.

Ashland Police are warning residents to stay away from these fly-by-night contractors circling neighborhoods looking to make a deal.

WBZ-TV's Kathy Curran reports.

It all starts with a knock on the door.

Mahoney says, "Before I knew it the truck was down the road and they were getting ready to put the driveway in, and they hadn't talked price or anything."

He says he never even gave the company permission to do the work.

Ashland Police Lt. Richard Briggs says, "It's a sad situation. Someone took full advantage of an elderly person."

Briggs gives this advice: "Do your homework; call the Better Business Bureau; get referrals; and check the company out online."

Bob has a tough time writing so he says the contractor, Arthur Stanley, took his checkbook and made the $4,500 check out to himself.

We called the company, Ideal Asphalt, to ask Mr. Stanley some questions but never got a call back.

Bob Mahoney says it's too bad those kind of people take advantage of the elderly. The 85-year-old is out thousands and doesn't even have a car to park on the pavement left behind.