Ron Freitas
District Attorney
CONSUMER [ALERT]
January 17, 2023

Don't Get Scammed After a Disaster

The San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office encourages members of our community to utilize licensed contractors when renovating or recovering from recent storm damage. 

Before you hire a contractor for repairs on your home, verify they are licensed with the California State License Board! Without a California contractor license, it is illegal to perform contracting work in a disaster area. Here are a few tips to prevent scams: 

  • Avoid paying in cash
  • Get multiple bids on the project
  • Get a written contract with a detailed work plan
  • Report fraudulent work to www.CSLB.ca.gov

This week, District Attorney Ron Freitas met with Shannon Hurles, CEO of Builders Exchange of San Joaquin and John Beckman, CEO of Building Industry Association to discuss potential issues with hiring unlicensed contractors. These issues tragically include:

  • Increased liability to the homeowners
  • Loss of investment or payment for work
  • Work may be subpar and need to be revisited

Be sure to protect yourself and your property after these recent storms. Rest assured, the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office holds fraudulent and scam construction offenders accountable through the Quality of Life unit. Learn more about the Quality of Life unit here.