THUNDER BAY — Police are cautioning homeowners after a city man agreed to pay tens of thousands of dollars to a suspicious driveway repair crew, and almost gave them a lot more.
On Aug. 14, two males approached the elderly resident and offered to patch his asphalt driveway.
They then accompanied him to his bank where he arranged for a payment of more than $30,000.
But rather than doing the patch job they had agreed to, they performed additional work and pressured him to pay over $100,000.
Fortunately, concerned family members became aware of the situation and intervened in time for the $30,000 payment to be cancelled by the bank.
In a notice issued Monday, Thunder Bay police said they suspect the two men were trying to take advantage of a person who has a hearing problem and difficulty articulating his thoughts.
The investigation into the case is ongoing.
Police remind homeowners that if they have suspicions about the legitimacy of unsolicited salespeople, they have the right to close their door or hang up the phone.
More information about ongoing scams and frauds, and on how to protect oneself from being bilked, is available online from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
