Orange County sheriff warns of driveway paving scam targeting homes

Orange County Sheriff Paul Arteta warned residents to watch for a driveway paving scam that starts with an unsolicited knock at the door and can end with an inflated cash bill for work that quickly breaks apart. The sheriff’s office said the scheme is showing up more often across Orange County, which covers 839 square miles, includes 3 cities, 20 towns and 19 villages, and is home to more than 379,000 people.

The warning centers on traveling or unlicensed contractors who offer driveway paving or sealing at a price that sounds like a bargain. One common version is the asphalt millings scam, in which the worker claims to have leftover material from another job and lays it down without a proper base, then demands payment before the homeowner has much time to think. The sheriff’s office said residents should be cautious if a contractor insists on full cash payment before the job begins, pressures an immediate decision, refuses to provide a written estimate, will not give a business name or avoids identifying themselves by full name.

Another red flag is less obvious but just as important: contractors who ask who lives in the house or who is present. That kind of questioning can signal more than a sales pitch, since it may also be used to figure out whether a home is occupied and vulnerable. Arteta’s warning is aimed at stopping residents from making a hurried decision that scammers count on.

State consumer guidance lines up with that advice. The New York State Attorney General says homeowners should be wary of anyone who shows up unsolicited, should not hand over a cash deposit before signing a contract, and should insist on a written contract for home-improvement work over $500. State rules also require contractors to be licensed in New York City, Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties, and in the City of Buffalo.

The scam has also surfaced in neighboring Putnam County, where authorities warned in October 2024 that suspects claimed to have leftover asphalt from a nearby job and used a black, unmarked Ford F-150 pickup truck to appear legitimate. In that case, a homeowner refused the offer and the crew left.

Anyone who believes they were victimized was told to contact the sheriff’s Investigations Bureau. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office says its Special Investigations Unit handles financial crimes and fraud, underscoring that this warning fits into a broader local push to stop scams before they spread.