(SitNews) - A new scam is coming right to Alaskans front door and Representative Tammie Wilson (R-North Pole) is encouraging people to be aware so they do not fall victim. Rep. Wilson took charge of the issue by calling state agencies who protect consumers after she received numerous calls from people in her district sharing their experience with scammers.

The Alaska Attorney General’s Office is warning Alaskans that individuals or companies are going door-to-door offering paving services that mislead consumers by violating the Door-To-Door Sales provision and the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act.

The way the scam typically works is individuals claim they have leftover paving materials and are able to pave driveways or sidewalks for a discounted rate. The actual work done by the pavement scammers is shoddy and below all paving standards. Additionally, when the work is done, a homeowner is told the job will cost much more than promised, in some cases double. Scammers sometimes try to represent themselves as a local business by using a vacant lot for their business address or by sporting a work vehicle with Alaskan license plates. 

Another aspect of the scam is homeowners are told they can pursue the company or individual if the work is not up to par but in these cases, it’s not true.

Homeowners need to know their rights when it comes to this type of work. A homeowner always has the right to cancel any written or verbal contract without penalty for 5 days under AS 45.02.350(a). Additionally, a homeowner would have great difficulty pursuing damages against a company or individual offering this type of work according to Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act, AS 45.50.471.

If someone knocks on the door offering services that are at a price that seems too good to be true, homeowners should demand written notice of the right to revoke within 5 days accorded by Alaska law and should refrain from writing a check or providing payment for such services.

Complaints reporting pavement scammers, even if no monetary loss occurs, may be done on the consumer protection consumer complaint website http://law.alaska.gov/department/civil/consumer/cp_complaint.html.

If there are any questions, please contact the Consumer Protection Unit Staff at (907) 269-5200 or toll free (888) 576-252. The email contact is consumerprotection@alaska.gov.

Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Alaska Department of Law
www.law.state.ak.us

Rep. Tammie Wilson (R-North Pole)
www.akleg.gov

 

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