Empowering Consumers.
PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY.
PREVENTING FRAUD.
 

Like many homeowners, we believed that hiring licensed contractors and suppliers meant we could trust the professionals we selected. We searched online reviews, checked the Better Business Bureau (BBB), reviewed licensing records with the Registrar of Contractors (ROC), and found nothing concerning. Unfortunately, we learned the hard way that these methods alone are not always reliable safeguards.

Professional scammers understand how to manipulate their online presence. They know how to remove or rebut negative reviews, minimize complaints, and create the appearance of credibility and experience. Many victims, frustrated by the complexity and cost of pursuing claims, simply walk away—allowing these businesses to continue operating.

For victims, the path to recovery can be difficult. Hiring an attorney is often cost-prohibitive, especially when there is no guarantee of prevailing in court, successfully serving the responsible party, collecting damages, or recovering legal fees. As a result, many consumers absorb their losses. Unfortunately, scammers depend on this reality.

Filing police reports or regulatory complaints can also present challenges. Without extensive documentation or multiple victims coming forward, cases may not gain traction. Even when complaints are filed with licensing agencies, the process can be lengthy and complicated, with limits on recovery and strict requirements that must be followed.

Our experience began with a contractor we hired to build a casita. For months, we conducted due diligence—researching options, narrowing our choices, interviewing teams, and ultimately selecting the contractor who presented the most professional image. Shortly after signing, we discovered how easily a business can create a misleading online reputation. We lost nearly $200,000 on a renovation project that never began. We later learned the contractor had been in business for less than a year and had a growing reputation for deceptive practices, including unjustified change orders and failure to start contracted work. Within months, additional victims began posting warnings and sharing similar experiences. The contractor responded to complaints without meaningful resolution, eventually vacated their business location, and have evaded legal efforts for nearly a year.

In another case involving a flooring supplier, we lost more than $33,000 for materials that were paid for but never delivered. By the time we pursued legal action, we learned there was already an active police investigation and numerous additional victims. Some lost business investments, home equity, and financial stability. Despite mounting complaints, the company continued taking orders from unsuspecting customers.

Determined to protect others, we invested significant personal resources—including more than $10,000—to raise public awareness and warn consumers. However, we quickly realized that individual efforts alone were not a sustainable solution.