Apparently Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi doesn't take kindly to people running scams on people under the guise of natural disasters.
Bondi announced yesterday that her office has filed a lawsuit in Broward County Circuit Court accusing Hallandale-based hurricane shutter company Rolladen Inc. of taking big deposits from people but never getting around to delivering or installing the products.
Now would be a good time to figure out if the allegations are true, since we're in the middle of hurricane season.
In a statement from Bondi's office, she says Rolladen had consumers pay 40 to 80 percent of the costs for hurricane shutters up-front and promised installation within six to 12 weeks.
The company apparently just decided to take the $600,000 in deposits instead but never delivered or installed the shutters "in many cases," Bondi says.
"As Floridians safeguard their homes against hurricanes, they deserve the assurance of knowing that they are doing business with fair and honest companies," Bondi says.
The lawsuit seeks an order for Rolladen to stop selling any more shutters or windows until they install the ones that have already been ordered, which the Attorney General's Office says is in accordance with Florida contractor requirements.
They're also asking for a freeze on all of the company's assets and refunds of as much money as possible to customers.
This comes a week after the company's owner, Robert Hoffman, was arrested by deputies of the Broward Sheriff's Office on charges of running an organized scheme to defraud and unlicensed contracting.
The new lawsuit also targets Hoffman for deceptive and unfair trade practices.
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