MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) -- Montgomery County officials are warning residents about driveway paving schemes after seeing a recent rise in reports from homeowners. In a release sent out Friday, Montgomery County's Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) said the schemes involve unlicensed workers approaching residents and offering cheap driveway paving or resurfacing services. The fraudsters typically arrive in unmarked trucks and say they are working nearby with leftover materials before pressuring residents to agree to the labor. However, the services are often poor quality, causing significant financial loss for the homeowner. In many cases, the "workers" ask for upfront payments, raise prices mid-job or leave the work incomplete, according to the OCP. “It’s incredibly frustrating to see these kinds of scams resurface again and again, especially when they target people right at their front doors,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “No one should have to deal with intimidation, deception or shoddy work from people pretending to be legitimate businesses. I appreciate the work of our Office of Consumer Protection and police in responding quickly and preventing more residents from being harmed. We want people to know the warning signs and to call us right away if something doesn’t feel right.” Montgomery County, Poolesville offer $3M incentive to reopen White’s Ferry In one recent case, officials said a resident contacted the OCP after noticing "suspicious activity" in their neighborhood. Upon investigating, Montgomery County police found a pickup truck, a trailer and a small paving machine, all allegedly tied to the scheme. Authorities impounded the findings and later confirmed that the group, reportedly unlicensed, had paved more than a dozen driveways in the neighborhood. “These unlicensed contractors and their crews are going door-to-door, pressuring homeowners with various tactics. These include repeated visits, claiming that other neighbors are having work done by them, and often lowering the offered price of the work for cash payment,” said OCP investigator Lee Glass. “The work performed is typically substandard, does not conform to the agreed-upon work and may have been started without the homeowner's permission. Over the last two months, we have seen a rise in these cases. Our goal is to educate the public so that they can better protect themselves from these scammers." What should residents know about staying protected? To stay protected from swindlers, officials encourage residents to: Check for licenses. All home improvement contractors must be licensed with the Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC). You can look up licenses at https://www.labor.maryland.gov/license/mhic/. Ask for ID and business credentials. Legitimate businesses will display a license number on vehicles, contracts and promotional materials. Never pay in full upfront or agree to on-the-spot jobs without written contracts. Report suspicious activity immediately to OCP by calling 240-777-3636. The OCP also urges people not to hire anyone who shows up unsolicited, offering driveway work or other home repairs. Anyone who has been approached or affected by the paving crews can file a complaint through the OCP by calling 240-777-3636 or visiting the office's website here. ...read more read less