Staff Report

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is warning North County residents about door-to-door solicitations by people who are fraudulently offering to fertilize and aerate lawns.

In one of several recent reports, an elderly homeowner agreed to hire the crew to fertilize her lawn but was instead left with a large pile of manure and a request for payment far exceeding the original estimate, a sheriff’s spokesman said.

Scammers will often refuse to leave until payment is made. 

The Sheriff’s Office advises homeowners in need of repairs or services to contact a licensed contractor directly, ask for references, and check those references prior to agreeing to work.