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Undercover Operation Results In Charges Against 12 Allegedly Unlicensed Contractors
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
NEWARK – The staging place for the undercover operation was a four bedroom, three bathroom Cape Cod-style dwelling that, like many homes in its Lyndhurst neighborhood, suffered extensive structural and mold damage as a result of floodwaters caused by Tropical Storm Irene. The home served as the base for a multi-agency, four-day undercover operation to expose allegedly unregistered home improvement contractors seeking to capitalize on the August 2011 natural disaster that left many homeowners in desperate need of home repair help.
As part of the operation, Division of Consumer Affairs investigators, posing as homeowners, responded to home repair advertisements shortly after the floodwaters receded. The investigators invited a total of 16 contractors to visit the undercover house, examine the damage, and provide repair estimates.