VOLUSIA COUNTY, FL – Sheriff’s detectives are seeking a Central Florida man who they say intentionally impersonated a licensed contractor and defrauded a female victim out of nearly $74,000 – and they’re working to determine whether more Volusia County residents have been scammed by him.
According to detectives, an arrest warrant has been issued for Joseph England, 38, of Geneva in Seminole County for grand theft and obtaining property by fraud, along with false impersonation – his second offense. England was investigated by state officials in 2015 and 2016 of falsely identifying himself as a licensed contractor. He was convicted in Lake County in 2016.
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office was alerted by a De Leon Springs woman who hired England and his company, England Site Development LLC, to build a large barn on her farm. The victim told detectives England was knowledgeable about the construction process and assured her he was a licensed contractor.
However, England kept asking the victim for additional money, while minimal work was done on the building and soon he ceased to communicate with the victim. Detectives learned from the Department of Business & Professional Regulation that England does not hold an electrical contractor nor a general contractor license in Florida.
If you or someone you know has been similarly scammed by this suspect, please call the Sheriff’s Office’s non-emergency line, (386) 248-1777 to report it. Remember, before hiring anyone to do work on or around your home, make sure they are licensed: At MyFloridaLicense.com, you can verify your contractor is licensed by the state of Florida. Sunbiz.org and BBB.com are good resources for handyman services and work that doesn’t require a state license. If someone comes to your door offering services you didn’t ask for, call the the Sheriff’s Office right away.
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