My neighbor was scammed by driveway spraying scammers

"Ignoramus6369" wrote: (clip) What would be a sensible thing to do in these lousy circumstances? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Ask to see their business license, and start dialing city hall on the cell phone. The problem is, the same brain that got your neighbor into that situation is trying to get him out of it. The best way to get out of trouble is to stay out in the first place.

At my age, my rules for a happy life are:

1. Never stand when you can sit.

1. Never pass up an opportunity to take a leak.

2. never trust a fart.

1. Never waste an erection.

and most importantly...

1. Never pay tradesmen in advance.

Jeff

Well, paying in advance was his first problem. After that she is pretty well lost, assuming they are con men.

Years ago I hired a reputable landscaper to put in a 6 course retaining wall. They put in 5 courses and said they were done. When I complained he said he had used up all his budgeted materials, so there was nothing he could do. I was going to sue him, and I would have certainly won, but my wife begged me not to. It was very painful to let that go.

And I think #5 is key here, unless he was gonna have sex with the contractor too, then #4 would apply.

These driveby seal coat guys are well known for having a high percentage of scammers. I would never use one period, because even if you pay them at the end, you don't know what they put down. And you can bet many of them use the cheapest crap that will look good right after it goes on, but might not last a month.

I think number 4 would be the most important. I can't figure out how to win a race with a pee hard back to bed.

I wasn't there, I don't know who they were, but most any police officer will tell you that this is a traditional mode of operation for gypsies. They will happily spray the same stuff on your drive, your dirt road, or your flat roof. Who knows what it is? You can only be sure that it is something cheap and black.

Don't allow them anywhere near your property, particularly if they have out of state plates or can't prove a local address.

A typical scam from Irish Travellers as well, along with roof coating.

Jon

Make an On-Topic posting in the right group?

Nick

Vee haaf no sense of humour I think. (one stereotype deserves another)

AWEM

Oh, it is funny when Iggyot's neighbor is in the same intellectual league as he is. Some kind of reservoir where he lives?

Nick

Yes. They were actually one Mexican and one African American, not gypsies. But I see your point.

If a contractor is doing work that requires him to make significant material purchases, paying half, or paying for the materials, is perfectly reasonable.

Lucky they didn't spray his car(s) with the stuff and then offer to do a "body detailing" on the car! My wife got her old Ford Escort sprayed with tar while it was parked in her work's parking lot, and they never were able to fully repair the car. Literally, if we demanded them to fully restore the car to the condition it was in before the tarring, the insurance would have totalled it out! As it was, the windshield looked like it had been sandblasted, and they ended up having to repaint the roof and hood. All the outside cornes on the fenders were rubbed down until you could see primer.

Anything you can spray through a nozzle isn't going to really do the job on a driveway. The stuff I use comes in 5 gal barrels and has some really thick "mud" in the bottom that builds a new surface on the old asphalt.

Jon

Poor judgment in the first place. Second, having work done without a signed contract. Third, not taking their license number and calling the police.

Just be glad it was $50. BTW, you should MYOB, you're a nosey sob.

The sensible thing is to never buy from a door to door sales person.

Wes

Dial 911.

Ignoramus6369 wrote in news:j7KdnevMNrNPe9jbnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Get license plate, start dialing police, letting them know you are doing it. They would most likely finish it without the extra money to keep the police out of the area. When they leave, call the police anyway and report the scam and license so the guy a block down doesn't get taken.

Rule #1. Always get it in writing.

Swallow hard, take down the license plate number, and walk away a wiser man. Then get on the phone and start calling local authorities.

Steve