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This week on The Roofing News, host Dmitry Lipinskiy covered the story of Taz Crumpler, owner of Gravity Roofing in Orlando, whose name and license were stolen by a scammer on Angi (formerly Angie’s List).

How It Started

Taz first got a call from a confused homeowner looking for someone named Tommy. She thought she had hired Taz’s company through Angi — but she’d actually been tricked by a fake profile using his business name.

Soon, more homeowners called with similar stories. Each one had paid deposits to the imposter.

The Runaround

Taz tried to get Angi to shut down the fake account, but he was bounced between sales reps and customer support. Even after Angi’s team spoke directly with the scammer and confirmed the fraud, the company only marked the profile “under review.”

Next, Taz contacted the state license board, local police, and even the FBI, but no one took quick action. Meanwhile, more homeowners kept calling, and Taz had to keep explaining that he wasn’t involved.

The Scammer’s Pattern

Police eventually confirmed that “Tommy” had multiple aliases and outstanding warrants in other states, but he still hasn’t been caught. Taz suspects this isn’t his first time pulling the same scheme.

Bigger Problem for Honest Contractors

Even though the fake Angi profile was flagged, the damage to Taz’s online reputation continues. Search engines and AI tools can still pick up the bad reviews tied to that account — a lasting hit for a legitimate business.

Takeaway

Taz says there’s only one real protection for contractors: claim your accounts before the scammers do.