When a bad job becomes fraud
Many contractor disputes are about quality, delay, or cost overruns, and they are handled as contract claims. Contractor fraud usually involves something more, such as taking deposits with no intent to do the work, lying about a license or insurance, or billing for materials never bought. Police may treat a case as civil at first, though prosecutors in New York can bring larceny charges where the facts show intent to take money from the start. New York's home improvement rules call for a written contract and set rules for how deposits are handled. New York City and several counties also license home improvement contractors, and checking that status is a useful early step.
Documents and payment trail
Keep the contract, estimates, change orders, receipts, and every text or email with the contractor. Photograph the work as it stands, with dates, before anyone else touches it. Track every payment and how it was made, since card payments may support a dispute and checks show who cashed them. If subcontractors or suppliers contact you, write down their names and claims, because in New York those who were not paid may file a mechanic's lien, and how far it reaches against you often depends on what you still owed the contractor when it was filed. Before hiring someone new to finish, talk with counsel about documenting the existing work so your claim is preserved.
Mapping the routes forward
In a first conversation we review the contract, the payments, and what work was actually done. Options can include a complaint to the licensing agency, a claim against a contractor's bond or a restitution fund where one applies, a civil suit, and a criminal complaint where the facts support it. We look at whether any lien has been filed and how it can be addressed. We also check whether the contract includes arbitration or other dispute terms. Then we discuss which route fits the amount involved and your goal, whether that is finishing the job, recovering money, or both.
