Be on the lookout for unlicensed pavers. Yesterday the Sioux County Sheriff's office in Northwest Iowa arrested four men who were allegedly involved in an asphalt paving scam.
John Mesker, Patrick Mesker, Aaron Nelson and William Ingram face several charges for what authorities are calling "paving work poorly done." 

Authorities say Mesker Asphalt Specialists was making the rounds in Hull, Iowa, taking thousands of dollars from trusting customers. 

Mesker Asphalt Specialists looks like a legitimate paving company, based on it's equipment. Shiny, new, and asphalt free.
Investigators say fraudulent contractors typically drive late model, brightly painted vehicles, free of asphalt and fitted with chrome. 

They also say such contractors scout areas looking for driveways in need of sealing or repaving. They'll solicit door to door offering potential customers a bargain. 

"The first thing would be somebody actually knocking on your door, most legitimate asphalt paving companies aren't going to be looking for business going door to door," said Sam Clemens, public information officer for Sioux Falls Police. 

If you're skeptical, police say ask to see city permits or state sales tax license. Legitimate asphalt crews need that documentation to operate. 

"People who are looking to scam other people aren't going to have the necessary permits," said Clemens. 

In Hull, investigators say the Mesker's asphalt crew did very little prep work and used a small amount of asphalt, which they rolled out very thin. 

"I wouldn't pay them up front, I'd wait until the work is completed, because once you pay them that's a pretty good chance they won't show back up," said Clemens. 

The Sioux County Sheriff's office also says Mesker's crew were from Texas and Virginia, but had a P.O. Box in Sioux Falls. They say some of the asphalt the Mesker crew was laying was only inch and a half thick, when they promised three inches. They were also charging as much as 40-thousand dollars.