Arabic version: عائلة في ريفرلاند تخسر نحو 10 آلاف دولار في عملية احتيال لإعادة رصف الممر

According to ABC News, a family in South Australia’s Riverland has been left nearly $10,000 out of pocket after accepting an offer to resurface its gravel driveway at a reduced rate.

Thuc Vu and his wife were working at their grocery shop when a man calling himself “Warren” approached them. He said his road resurfacing group had bitumen left over from a nearby job and did not want to take it back to Melbourne. He offered work for just under $10,000, saying the charge would cover only the product.

Mr Vu agreed after being told there was enough material to cover the area. His son Vinnie said workers used high pressure to secure payment. Mr Vu became concerned that the group’s tools and equipment were unsuitable, but was told the method was correct. Within two hours, the family was left with a small, uneven and unfinished patch of bitumen on the driveway.

The workers then said an additional $21,000 was needed to finish the job. The family turned them away and will have to pay for repairs. Mr Vu said: “We paid close to $10,000 for a lesson.”

South Australian Consumer Business Services said reports of the so-called “bitumen bandits” scam were made in the Riverland, Barossa, O’Halloran Hill and Yorke Peninsula in July. Commissioner Brett Humphrey said six complaints were being actively investigated and urged consumers to research businesses and avoid paying for work before they are satisfied with its quality.