WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. – A Whatcom County woman is sounding the alarm after her elderly mother was scammed by a fly-by-night company offering to sealcoat her driveway.
Sheri (who only wanted to give her first name) says a crew in an unmarked truck showed up at her mother’s door early Tuesday and offered to sealcoat her drive for $1 per square foot.
Her mom initially agreed and the apparent foreman promised to write up a contract.
No contract was presented but the crew began spraying sealcoating on her driveway anyway.
The woman called Sheri when she was told the job would total more than $19,000.
Sheri got there and halted the work, then shooed the men away after talking with a local company that said the work should be priced at about $0.18 per square foot.
Sheri says her mom didn’t lose any money, but the scammers left a mess behind including overspray that damaged brickwork and landscaping.
She warns everyone to thoroughly check the background of anyone offering to do work on their property and to watch for the sealant crew in an unmarked truck.
