The advent of springtime weather brings blooming flowers and sometimes unscrupulous people looking to scam people on the pretense of doing yard work.
One Danville man, Richard Wright, said he recently lost $500 to someone pretending to be a tree trimmer.
His mother, Kathy Stephens, had warned him that the faux tree trimmer had been going around scamming people, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough.
“This guy is very pleasant when he comes to your door,” Stephens said. “He really plays on your sympathies.”
Danville Interim Police Chief Tony Gray says Wright’s story is not uncommon, especially when it comes to seasonal jobs like snow removal and landscaping.
“Last year, we had a guy claiming he was going to do roof work but needed money upfront to go buy supplies,” Gray said. “That’s a red flag, because any legitimate contractor or company should already have the necessary tools to start work.”
