BOSTON — Boston police are alerting residents about home improvement scams that primarily target seniors as spring approaches.
According to a community alert issued by the Boston Police Department, international travelers may approach residents offering services such as driveway paving, masonry, and roofing repairs.
In previous years, residents have lost tens of thousands of dollars on these services, only to be left with unnecessary, poor, or incomplete work.
Police warn that what begins as a $1,500 job can quickly escalate to $30,000 in damages.
Common tactics include door-to-door solicitation with basic flyers advertising services like “A1 Paving,” claims of having “extra materials” from nearby jobs, and pressuring homeowners to start work immediately.
Once work begins, scammers often exhibit intimidating behavior and request checks made out to individuals rather than companies.
Many of these individuals reportedly come from the UK or Ireland and are not legally authorized to work in the United States.
To protect themselves, residents are advised to be wary of unsolicited approaches, including home improvement mailbox flyers and overly designed websites.
Police recommend getting at least two quotes from licensed, insured contractors, verifying permits and references, and reporting suspicious activity to local police with details such as vehicle information.
Authorities emphasize that any unknown person approaching to do work on a home should be viewed as a potential scammer.
Victims are encouraged to contact their local police district with as much information as possible, including vehicle descriptions and license plate numbers.
The police department also reminds residents that much of the work performed by these scammers requires City of Boston building permits, which can be verified at Boston.gov.
