Driveway deal leaves Grafton man out $1,600

A 78-year-old Grafton man was scammed out of $1,600 by four men posing as contractors outside his home on North Green Bay Road on June 30, police said.

Grafton Police Sgt. Eric Sutherland said the men told the victim they had just completed a nearby job and offered to seal his driveway with leftover material.

During the project, the men raised the price of the work several times and eventually settled on $1,600 after requesting $2,600. 

One of the suspects drove the man to an automated teller machine in Cedarburg to withdraw $1,000 in cash and then went to the Walgreens in Grafton to purchase two $300 Visa gift cards. 

“We see this from time to time, and they usually target the elderly,” Sutherland said. “They used a variety of techniques to overwhelm him, and in this case he thought they gave him a quote he thought was reasonable at the time.”         

The following day, the victim consulted a family member and decided to report the incident to the Grafton Police Department. Sutherland said the victim most likely won’t be able to recover his money. 

An image of one of the suspects was caught on the Cedarburg ATM, and police are working with the victim to identify him.

Although the suspects completed the project, Sutherland said their work was substandard.

“It was watered-down sealant, and their tactics were consistent with other scam artists,” he said.

Sutherland said there have been a handful of similar incidents in Milwaukee and northern Illinois, noting they may be related. 

If the suspects are caught, Sutherland said it is unlikely that they will be prosecuted because the victim paid for services rendered, but added that they could be prosecuted through an outside agency if more cases occur. 

Sutherland said soliciting without a permit is not allowed in the village, and solicitors are required to show identification and a village-issued permit to residents. The suspects did not have a permit, he said.

If residents feel suspicious about a solicitor, Sutherland said, they should notify the police.  

“They are very good at what they do, and this is how they make their money,” he said.