Protecting Yourself from Contractor Fraud

Having a backyard pool is a common dream for Florida homeowners. Unfortunately, that dream can quickly turn into a nightmare if the homeowner falls victim to contractor fraud. Unlicensed contracting is a criminal offense, and consumers need to be wary of hiring someone who offers the fastest, cheapest job. Often the results are poor workmanship, inferior materials, and unfinished work. A licensed contractor is held to standards both locally and through state action. Below are 10 warning signs of contractor fraud that Hillsborough County’s Consumer Protection Services and Development Services offer:

1. Be Wary of Third-Party Contractors

Hillsborough County government does not market or promote third-party contractors. If you receive something with the County logo or the marketing piece seems out of the ordinary, it’s likely false. Call Hillsborough County’s Consumer Protection to confirm if it’s an official document.

2. Beware of Fast Talkers

If the person talking to you is talking fast and almost a little too familiar for comfort, be cautious. Scammers could use this strategy to gain your confidence to force an uninformed, quick decision. Contractors should be respectful and honor the same price later.

3. Don’t Pay Upfront or in Cash

Be wary if you’re about to sign on the dotted line and the contractor tells you that payment must be made upfront, only in cash, or paid directly to another contractor or supplier – this could be fraud.

4. Get It in Writing

Anything promised by the contractor should be in writing and signed by both parties.

5. Don’t Make Large Upfront Payments

Sometimes you do have to make payments to the contractor in advance to help pay for materials, but it should never be large amounts of 50% or more. A 10% down payment is normal and should be plenty to cover what they need to get started.

6. Get Proper Liens and Affidavits

Do not make any payments until the contractor provides a Partial Release of Lien and Affidavit, and the homeowner should not make the final payment until a Final Release of Lien Affidavit is received from the contractor, which ensures subcontractors have been paid.

7. Research Low Estimates

If you receive a work estimate from a contractor that seems too low, do extra research and collect referrals from other customers.

8. Verify Business Information

If you find the contractor doesn’t have basic information like their business address or contact information on their estimate, business card, vehicle, or marketing materials, the person may not be who you think they are.

9. Verify Contractor Licenses

To verify if a local contractor is licensed in Hillsborough County, visit HCFLGov. net/HillsGovHub and search for your contractor. To verify that a contractor’s license is up to date in the state of Florida, visit the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) at MyFloridaLicense. com.

10. Check Permits

Visit HillsGovHub portal, the County’s online development permitting system, to view a company’s permits to see how many they have and how many are opened or closed.

What to Do If You Fall Victim to a Scam

If a person falls victim to a scam, Consumer Protection can take a complaint from them for free and will assess it for additional action, either through the County or with local law enforcement or legal partners. Consumer Protection regularly works to get work completed in these types of cases or to get refunds issued in some cases.

Originally Post From https://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/newsroom/2023/10/27/building-a-backyard-pool-avoid-getting-scammed-with-these-10-warning-signs