Chelsea Police Chief Warns of Home Improvement Scams in Warmer Weather

At the May 19, 2025, Chelsea City Council meeting, Police Chief Kevin Kazyak issued a seasonal warning about fraudulent home improvement schemes, particularly those involving driveway sealing.

“I would like to take this opportunity to remind everybody that with the warmer weather, a lot of us are now doing home improvement projects, whether they’re doing them themselves, or they’re hiring a company,” Chief Kazyak stated.

He cautioned residents to be vigilant against so-called “gypsy scams,” where individuals move from community to community to defraud homeowners. “We see a lot of what we call ‘gypsy scams,’ people moving from community to community to try to scam people out of home improvement projects,” he explained.

One common tactic involves unsolicited offers for driveway sealing at a discounted rate, claiming leftover materials from nearby jobs. “They show up, try to offer a really good price, try to pressure people into doing something very quickly, and then they do not complete the entire work, or they use substandard products,” Kazyak warned.

Specifically, he highlighted scams involving blacktop sealing: “One of the most common are the blacktop sealings of driveways. They ask for half the money down. They do part of the job, and they do not come and complete the job. They do shoddy work of overpours, and they use a very, very thin sealant. So, it’s not even up to standards.”

These concerns are echoed by the Better Business Bureau, which recently reported a case where a consumer lost $5,000 to a paving scam involving crushed gravel and unfulfilled promises. Additionally, the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services advises homeowners to be wary of contractors who demand upfront cash payments or pressure immediate decisions.

Chief Kazyak advised residents to thoroughly research contractors, saying, “Do your research, look online. Look for reviews. Go work with a reputable contractor. Do not be enticed into the super low price and quick job done.”

He also reminded that any company selling services in Chelsea must obtain a solicitor’s or peddler’s permit from the city. “They need to obtain a solicitor’s permit from the city, and they would have a little ID. So, if you don’t see that, they haven’t been properly vetted with the city,” said the Chief.

To further educate the community, the Chelsea Police Department, in collaboration with Chelsea State Bank, Bulldog Computers, and the Chelsea Senior Center, will host a fraud protection presentation on June 10 at 1 p.m. in Room 114 of the Senior Center.