San Jose Contractors Busted In Sting Operation
SAN JOSE (KCBS) – State investigators posing as homeowners in San Jose have cited 12 people for violating California's home improvement and consumer protection laws.
The Contractor State License Board investigative fraud team set up the two-day operation last week at a home in the Blossom Valley area of San Jose.
Spokeswoman Venus Stromberg said they pretended to be homeowners seeking bids for landscaping, painting, fencing and roofing work. Ten of the 12 people caught were accused of contracting without a license or illegal advertising.
KCBS' Anna Duckworth Reports:
"They were in violation of our state's advertising guidelines which do state that if you have a license you have to have that license number on any advertisement you have in a phone book, or on a business card or a tee-shirt, or any form of ad it may be," said Stromberg.
She said that three contractors were cited for not having workers compensation coverage for all of their employees.
"If somebody is injured on your property and they're not covered for workers comp, you'll be left liable for medical expenses," said Stromberg.
She said they were able to net the suspected fraudulent contractors through local investigators, Craigslist, phone books and other advertisements.
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