Fraud Alert:

The Jackson County Sheriff's Ofifice (JCSO) would like to remind the citizens of Jackson County to be aware of potential fraudulent business dealings. Recently, the JCSO has recieved phone calls from citizens concerning individuals stopping by homes and asking the homeowners about paving their driveways. Some of these individuals are on trucks with no company markings or insignias on the vehicles and most of the vehicles display out of state tags. One individual recently represented an asphault company. When the homeowner contacted a representative of the local asphault company, they leanred that the asphault company had never heard of the individual nor were they storing anyone's equipment.

Currently, the Jackson County Building Department does not require these asphault companies to obtain any type of permit because they are not considered resurfacing jobs. Before agreeing to any type of work, gather as much information about the individual and his company as possible and try to verify the validity of the company. Use a paving company that you are familiar with or a friend or someone a family member recommends from past experiences. Ask the company representative about local paving jobs that they have completed. Contact previous customers and ask of they were satisfied with the job the company did for them. Always obtain a business agreement in writing with a description of thejob to be performed, the total cost of the job being included in the contract and never pay for the work prior to completion.

Taking the time to verify the company's legitimacy today could save you thousands of dollars tomorrow.