Ann and Sal were promised a bitumen driveway. Instead, the couple say they were taken for a rocky ride

All Ann and Sal wanted was a bitumen driveway on their property 40 minutes south of Brisbane.

They found ABC Asphalt & Bitumen Civils online, run by Joseph Ball.

“I typed in bitumen driveways in my area and he popped up with good 4.9-star reviews,” Ann said.

“Joseph, I found him a smooth talker.

“He made out as if he did so many jobs and he showed me photos of his workmanship and it looked of high quality.”

Ball and his crew rocked up to Ann and Sal's property for a couple of hours over two days with all the gear, but trusting them turned out to be a terrible idea.

“This was no different to what it originally was, which was gravel,” Ann said.

“He basically told me that when the vehicles drive over it the material will bed in and it needs a couple of weeks to set… only got worse after that and deteriorated further,” Sal said.

Ann paid $14,000 for the job but the bitumen didn't set and Ball went cold.

She said she called and emailed him but had no response.

“I thought, you know what, my last resort is A Current Affair,” Ann said.

“I have to name and shame you, unfortunately, and put the word out there, beware.”

Ball's ABC Asphalt & Bitumen Civils business used to be based in Melbourne.

The business then advertised work in Queensland, and now, apparently, the office is in Perth.

A search of his name shows he has been the director of a number of companies.

“I've been to the Office of Fair Trade and I've been to the police and I even dobbed him in at the Queensland Building [and Construction Commission],” Ann said.

“They all said they're called bitumen bandits.

“They do that, they do a dodgy job and they skip town, so beware.”

A Current Affair called the number plastered on the ute that was captured on CCTV at Ann and Sal’s house.

At first, the person who answered denied he was Ball, then quickly backflipped.

“You're speaking to Joseph Ball. I am the director and owner of this company,” he said.

“We’ve received a complaint from Ann and Sal. You’re pictured in the CCTV at their house, Joseph,” A Current Affair said.

“I can't be because I've never been there. We don't do work in Brisbane so I don't understand that. We're based in Perth,” Ball replied.

“You once were based in Melbourne, then you went to Queensland and you went to…” A Current Affair said.

“No, no, no, no, get your facts straight first, my sweet. We've never been in Brisbane. We're based in Melbourne and still are,” Ball said.

“You are quite the traveller,” A Current Affair said.

“I don't think I am. I don't think so,” Ball said.

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