Don’t Get ‘Stoned': Should You Worry About This Capital Region ‘Stone Scam’?
There's a new type of scam that's being reported around the Capital Region: a stone scam. Homeowners are being pressured to pay large bills for unwanted quantities of stone, or gravel, that has been offered to be delivered to them by unknown dump truck drivers.
The Columbia County Sheriff has issued an update on the scam, and we have the latest information on what you should know in order to stay safe.
Capital Region County Presents Warning to Residents About 'Stone Scam'
A story from ABC News 10 in Albany detailed a warning issued by the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, telling residents of the area to be on the lookout for something they're calling stone scams.
The details of these scams are very concerning: drivers of dump trucks filled with gravel will pull into the driveways of unsuspecting homeowners, and offer to give them their product at a discount, if not for free.
Then, once the stone is dumped from the truck, the operators present the homeowners with a hefty bill, and pressure them to provide compensation. The unsuspecting people are literally placed between a rock, and a hard place, and it's been happening in the Capital Region with some regularity.
PAN XIAOZHEN
Columbia County Sheriff’s Office officials are encouraging area residents to contact the main dispatch line at (518) 828-3344 if they suspect any foul play is happening near them.
It's a fascinating, and concerning, trend in our local neighborhoods. In 2023, a news report about a scam is usually followed by details of an attack that's happening over email, text message, or telephone. Digital scams are prevalent everywhere, but in-person scams are much more rare in the Capital Region today.
Just because it's rare, doesn't mean it doesn't happen, and if you're a homeowner in the Capital Region, keep an eye-out for stone scammers in your area. If you find one and report them, you may not be directly helping yourself, but you very well might end up helping an unsuspecting neighbor, instead.