Beware of asphalt scam in county

It looks as though we have another scam artist operating in the county–this time its about an asphalt operation.
Jerry Spell, an investigator with Copiah County Sheriff’s Office, said Tuesday that a suspect by the name of Chris Young bilked around $8,000 out of a couple, claiming that he could patch, spray and seal their driveway.  Well, Young, working out of the back of a pickup truck, used a rake and multi-purpose sprayer to complete the job that took just over an hour.
According to Spell, Young’s work was in poor standard as per the homeowner.  When they questioned the quality of Young’s work, he used intimidation tactics to force payment from the victim.  Afterwards he cashed the check and made off.
Young, according to Spell, tells folks that he is from Brookhaven, but actually claims Pine Bluff, AR as his residence.
“I’m not saying that several legitimate companies are doing business in Copiah County, offering similar services to repair, spraying and sealing driveways.  We want our residents to know to be highly cautious of any individual that approaches them at their home and offers these or any other services and charges well over the going rated for the work,” Spell added.
The main targets of scam artists, at least in Copiah County, are elderly folks, Spell said.  “Many times they may not report such a scam because they may feel embarrassed,” he stated.  Spell urges those who have been scammed out of their hard-earned money to contact the Better Business Bureau, the Mississippi Public Safety Commission, the Copiah County Sheriff’s Office or their local municipal police department.
“We are always working on scam cases,” Spell concluded, “so we need our public to be vigilant about reporting any suspicious activity.”