Local 'Rosie the Riveter' falls victim to driveway sealing scam

DETROIT – Mallie Mellon is 96 years old, and still a very independent lady. That's why her recent experience with a door-to-door scammer left her so infuriated that she wanted to share her story so no one else got taken advantage of.

Mellon grew up in Kentucky, and still has a charming, pronounced Southern accent, but she's been a Michigander since 1943. She was also a part of American history as a real-life "Rosie the Riveter." working on B-29 airplanes at Willow Run during World War II.

Mellon recently attended a Rosie reunion in Washington, D.C.

Video: Rosies honored with visit to Washington

"There were 31 of us Rosies and we had a great time," Mellon said.

Trouble comes to her door

Just weeks after that reunion, two men showed up to her home in Wayne County. The men told Mellon they just sealed a driveway at a local hospital, had extra sealant and would do her driveway for just $200. Mellon said she has the driveway done every few years, so she took them up on the offer.

During the process, she told them they weren't covering some cracks, so they added more sealant. Once the project was done, she asked for the final price and suddenly that $200 job was much more expensive.

"He said, 'We used so many gallons of stuff." He said, "Probably $3,045.' I said 'Wow, I don't have that kind of money,'" Mellon said.

They gave her a "price break,' and she wrote a check for $2,700. But, she couldn't believe the work they left behind.

"They're supposed to cover up the cracks, but they didn't do nothing. They just put a shine on it," Mellon said. 

When the men went to cash the check, a manager at Mellon's bank called her to ask for permission to cash the check. 

"I said, 'Yeah, go ahead.' I don't know why I did that," Mellon said. 

Be ready to protect yourself and your money

Melanie Duquesnel, CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Eastern Michigan in Southfield, said victims can often fall victim to scams because they feel intimidated. She suggests if you're home alone, carry your cell phone with you at all times, and make it clear you're ready to use it.

"It disarms the person approaching you because they know that you have the means to contact somebody, and it also gives you the power to say I can dial 911 real fast and make you go away," Duquesnel said. 

All too often, the BBB hears complaints about door-to-door workers. In case you're ever tempted to do business that way, Duquesnel offers a long list of reasons it can be a bad way to do business.

• If someone approaches you unexpectedly, you don't have time to do your research to make sure they company does good work. It's always better for you to decide you need a project done, get three bids, read company reviews, and make a well-informed decision.
• If you agree to do business quickly, you probably don't have time to thoroughly read the contract.
• If the company isn't offering a contract, that is another huge red flag. For any job, you should have a contract that spells out what work will be done, when the project will be finished, and spells out a payment plan. You should never pay the full price up front, and you should try to avoid paying with cash or check.
• State law allows you three days to cancel any contract signed with a door-to-door salesperson.

Duquesnel has a general warning about door-to-door "deals."

"Usually, in the BBB's experience, we have found those are bad product or bad service," she said. 

And, here's a trick to make it easier to say no.

"The easiest way to do that is to prepare your own "No Thank You" speech and just have it at the ready," Duquesnel said. 

Preparing that speech can be easy. Come up with some reason you don't do business with solicitors who knock on your door or call on the phone. You might tell them you have to consult your spouse, adult children, or that you like to do more research. The key is to prepare that excuse in advance, so that when you're caught off guard, just remember your pre-prepared speech, so you can say "no", and with less guilt and less angst.

Prevention is the key to protecting your money

In most cases, knowing how to avoid these door-to-door scams is the key to protecting your money. It can be very difficult to track down the businesses later, and police may not be able to help.

For example, in Mellon's case, the men did do the work and she agreed to pay the higher price. Because there was actual work done, the situation becomes a civil matter instead of a criminal one. If the workers took the money and never did any work, it could become a criminal fraud case. Sadly, Mellon's only evidence that this transaction occurred is a flyer with a man's name on it and a phone number. She hasn't been able to track down the men to dispute the quality of the work and the high price.

"I was really took, but I've learned my lesson. I'm not going to let nobody take me no more," Mellon said.

Her message to the men who stopped by her home: "Shame on you for taking an old lady, soft-soaping her ... and taking an old lady like me."