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Sometimes an offer comes along that seems just too good to pass up.

It’s moments like that, when people should stop and maybe even let the chance go, said Michael Ossorio, contractor licensing supervisor for Collier County government.

“If you get that funny feeling,” Ossorio said. “Don’t do!”

It’s a warning that county officials hope residents heed when it comes to hiring a contractor in Southwest Florida, and one that Estates resident Lourdes Colón wishes she would have known.

“Even if they come referred, call the Better Business Bureau, call the state and check (with) the county,” said Colón, 34, who along with her husband, Luis, 34, were out more than $50,000 and had an unfinished house after the contractor they hired said she was out of money. “Don’t ever give cash. Don’t ever give personal funds. Go through a bank. Don’t give the money and trust.”

Two years after signing a contract for their first home, the Colóns ended up dipping into their savings to finish the house and are just starting to work their way back to financial stability.

Their situation recently came to light after a nonprofit agency in Collier County held a press conference to raise questions about suspected contractor abuse of elderly and Hispanic customers.

Since 2000, nearly 160 complaints have been filed with the state against unlicensed contractors in Collier County. More continue to crop up.

“You need to do you homework,” said Ossorio, who urged residents to swing by the county government office on Horseshoe Drive.

He added that the county offers pamphlets and even has a 14-minute informational video to teach residents the Do’s and Don’ts when hiring a contractor.

Some of the major warning signs that building officials suggest residents look out for include:

• If a contractor asks for a large downpayment (more than 10 percent).

• When the contractor makes many requests for money during the early phases of construction.

• If the contractor will only work on weekends or after hours.

• If there is no license number on the contractor’s business cards or contracts.

• If the contractor only wants a verbal contract and refuses to put anything on paper.

• If asked, the contractor doesn’t have proof of insurance.

• If a contractor tells you that the job doesn’t require a permit.

Officials caution residents to be especially worried if someone other than the person or company that was contracted is pulling the permits.

In Collier County, Ossorio said, more than 430 citations against licensed and unlicensed contractors have been filed so far in 2008.

But when it comes to penalizing general contractors in Collier, the county can only impose penalties on registered contractors.

In Florida, there are two types of general contractors and both require a license.

A registered contractor is one who has registered with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation after getting certified by a specific jurisdiction — such as Collier or Lee county government — and can only practice where they have been certified.

Meanwhile, a state-certified contractor is one who possesses a certificate of competency issued by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, or DBPR, and is allowed to contract in any Florida jurisdiction without being required to fulfill any additional competency requirements.

So if a resident has an issue with a state-certified contractor, or an unlicensed contractor that used a state contractor’s license, they have to file their grievances with the DBPR.

In some Southwest Florida communities, problems with contractors have become so prevalent that residents have turned to local nonprofits for help.

Victor Valdes, president of Naples’ chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said many elderly and Hispanic victims have contacted his organization after losing thousands of dollars.

“It’s unjust that this has been done to people, who have given their retirement resources,” Valdes said.

Valdes said that the league, also known as LULAC, is making itself available to help victims file their complaints with the appropriate authorities, including the DBPR.

“They can call us and LULAC will work with them,” Valdes said.

Collier County Commissioner Jim Coletta said the issue has hit close to home because many of the cases that have cropped up in Collier were in Golden Gate Estates, which is part of his district.

And most of the cases he has seen, Coletta said, involve the elderly and people of Hispanic origin.

“A lot of these people are smooth operators,” Coletta said of contractors. “They’ll convince the people (the victims) that the job is all right. It’s very unfortunate.”

The unscrupulous contractors are likewise causing headaches for the legitimate building industry.

“It’s something we’ve always fought against,” said Brenda Talbert, executive vice president of the Collier Building Industry Association. “It just hurts everyone’s reputation.”

Talbert said that when consumers call her, she takes them through the steps of due diligence to choose the right contractor for the job.

When someone hires a contractor, Talbert said, it’s a long-term relationship.

“You (the home owner) want to be able to have a calm conversation with them (the contractor),” Talbert said.

And when it comes to reporting those not playing by the rules, Talbert said, residents shouldn’t just cut their losses and quit.

“I do urge them to follow it through and get these people out of our business,” she said, adding that the association gets one or two consumer complaints against licensed and unlicensed contractors a week. “The term con-artist comes from the word confidence, that’s why they’re called con-artist. It’s so sad that these people get away with it.”

Talbert said if a contractor is charging an unbelievably good rate — in comparison to other contractors — there is a good chance that they aren’t paying insurance or honoring their warranties.

Making sure that a contractor has a license and is doing things on the up-and-up is also not a crime, she said.

“Just don’t take their (the contractor’s) word for it. Check it!” Talbert said. “The good guys are not going to balk at that — if they have nothing to hide.”

Colón agreed.

“My husband and I are very honest people,” Colón said. “We work very hard for what we have and we try our best to be fair ... but you have to be cynical.”

___

CONSUMER HELP

Is the contractor you’re considering licensed? Do they have complaints or action pending against them?

Here are numbers and Web sites consumers can use to track down information and, if the need arises, file a complaint.

• Collier Building Industry Association: Offers homeowner’s classes and help, www.cbia.net or (239) 436-6100.

• Collier County’s Building Review and Permitting Department: To file a complaint or to learn how to avoid unlicensed contractors, (239) 252-2400, www.colliergov.net or (239) 252-2431 or 252-2431.

• Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation: To file a complaint or look up a contractor’s license, www.myflorida.com/dbpr or (850) 847-1395.

• League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC): To contact Victor Valdes and LULAC, (239) 417-5598.

• Lee County’s Community Development Department: To file a complaint or to learn how to avoid unlicensed contractors, www.lee-county.com/dcd/ or (239) 533-5895.