A Lexington, Kentucky, couple says a paving crew showed up at their home without being called, started work on their driveway, then demanded $78,000.
Greg Morley and Sarah Haydon told LEX18 the encounter began in May, when an unsolicited crew arrived at their property.
The pitch sounded like a discount at first. Morley said the man told him the crew had asphalt nearby after a water main break interrupted another job.
Morley said he was quoted $2 per square foot. By the time the invoice appeared, he said the number had changed to $9 per square foot.
The Crew Said It Had Asphalt Nearby
Morley told LEX18 the man said the crew had been working another job when a water main break left trucks loaded with asphalt nearby. That explanation made the offer sound urgent because the material was supposedly already close to the house.
The crew began working on the driveway, but Morley and Haydon said the work soon looked unprofessional and incomplete.
The Price Changed After Work Started
Morley said he signed paperwork before the final number was filled in. He told LEX18 the man later wrote in $9 per square foot, which Morley said was not the agreed price.
The couple said the encounter became frightening. They wrote a check for $78,000, the amount listed on the invoice, but canceled the payment before the money was deposited.
Morley and Haydon were not out the $78,000 because the check was canceled, but they said the driveway still needs to be repaved properly.
The Invoice Raised More Questions
The invoice they showed LEX18 did not have a company name. A phone number on it belonged to an out-of-state aviation business, according to the station.
Haydon filed a police report and spent the following month looking into the man who led the driveway job. She told LEX18 she found that he operated in multiple states under different company names and used an alias while on their property.
LEX18 did not name him because he has not been charged with a crime related to this incident. The station said the man disputed the couple’s account when contacted, said his attorney would call, and then hung up.
BBB Says The Pattern Fits A Paving Scam
The Better Business Bureau told LEX18 the encounter checked the boxes of an asphalt paving scam. Heather Clary, spokesperson for BBB’s Greater Kentucky Region, said anyone who claims to have leftover asphalt and says work can begin immediately is not doing the job the right way.
BBB also pointed to warning signs such as high-pressure sales pitches, out-of-state plates, vague company names, and no proof of insurance.
The Better Business Bureau has warned that asphalt paving scams often begin with an unsolicited offer from someone claiming to have extra paving supplies nearby. BBB says homeowners can end up with shoddy pavement, unfinished work, or no reliable way to reach the contractor afterward.
The EPA Office of Inspector General has issued a similar warning about asphalt sealer and paving scams. The agency says scammers may claim to have leftover materials from a nearby job, perform poor or unnecessary work, and then demand more money than originally quoted.
The Case Went To State Officials
Morley and Haydon brought the case to the Fayette County Attorney’s Office. LEX18 reported that the office referred the matter to the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office.
The couple said they wanted to warn other homeowners because the pitch did not feel obvious at first. Haydon told LEX18 that even people who consider themselves careful or business-savvy can be caught off guard.
LEX18 reported that the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office had not responded to the station by the time the story was published.
How Homeowners Can Avoid A Driveway Paving Scam
The biggest red flag is the door-to-door offer itself. Homeowners should be cautious when an unsolicited crew claims it has leftover asphalt, says it can start immediately, or offers a price that depends on deciding on the spot.
Before any work begins, the homeowner should have a written contract that lists the company name, business address, phone number, total price, materials, scope of work, start date, completion date, warranty terms, and proof of insurance. A blank invoice or paperwork with a price filled in later is a sign to stop the deal.
Homeowners should also check whether the contractor has a real local business presence, current reviews, verifiable references, and any license or registration required in their area. Out-of-state plates, vague company names, pressure for immediate payment, and refusal to provide insurance documents should be treated as warning signs.
Payment should be traceable and staged when possible. Homeowners should avoid paying the full amount upfront, avoid cash-only demands, and keep photos, estimates, messages, invoices, vehicle descriptions, license-plate numbers, and any names used by the crew.
If a crew starts work without clear permission, changes the price, refuses to leave, threatens legal action, or pressures an older or vulnerable homeowner, the safer move is to stop the conversation and call local law enforcement. Kentucky homeowners can also file a consumer complaint with the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office and report suspected scams to BBB Scam Tracker.