South Australian family loses nearly $10,000 to bogus driveway resurfacing scheme

A Riverland family was duped by a fake road-resurfacing crew, paying almost $10,000 for a half-finished bitumen job and now facing additional costs.

In the Riverland region of South Australia, Thuc Vu and his wife were contacted by an individual identifying himself as Warren, who said his crew had excess bitumen from a Melbourne job and could resurface their driveway for the material cost alone, just under $10,000. The family agreed, but midway through the work the crew used inappropriate equipment and abandoned the job, leaving only a small, uneven bitumen patch. When Vu asked about the incomplete work, the scammers claimed the job could only be finished for an extra $21,000.

The Vus declined and now must hire another contractor to repair the driveway. Consumer Business Services has logged six complaints about the “bitumen bandits” scam, which has also been reported in Barossa, O'Halloran Hill and the Yorke Peninsula. Commissioner Brett Humphrey warned that the operation appears coordinated and urged consumers to verify businesses before paying. Victims may need to pursue court action for compensation.