ELIZABETHTOWN — Bladen County Sheriff Jim McVicker is warning residents of a possible scam that has started in this area.
“On Wednesday, March 8, a group of men driving a gray pickup and a large white truck with gravel approached a residence and told the older man there that they had some gravel left over from a job nearby and offered to give it to him to help the community,” McVicker said.
“After they started spreading the gravel they presented him with a bill for $4,000. He told them he did not have that and they finally said they would do it for $500 or he could make payments. The man called his son who is a law enforcement officer and his son said he would come talk to them. When given this information, the men loaded up their truck and left.
“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, Ga., and 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.