Craigslist ad nets thirty-one unlicensed contractors

Sandra Rentfrow, Jacksonville Regional Program Administrator of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, reported to local news reporters at Historic City News that thirty-one unlicensed contractors were arrested today.

Investigators with the Division of Regulation, the State Attorney and law enforcement agencies have been conducting sting operations for the past six months; advertising for regulated home repair services using the Internet classified service — Craigslist.

Rentfrow said, “We don’t want people to have problems down the road and end up paying much more than they originally should have because the work is not up to code, or they have catastrophic results, such as a fire or flood.”

In the Jacksonville sting, unlicensed individuals offered to perform regulated services ranging from roof repairs, plumbing, electrical work to room additions. Undercover officers were offered contract quotes and even asked to pay advance deposits by the perpetrators.

“It is unsafe for consumers to have work done by someone unlicensed,” said DBPR interim Secretary Charlie Liem in a media release to Historic City News.

In addition to the thirty-one arrests, warrants have been issued for eight other individuals.