Run these seven checks before you trust any contractor's star rating. Each one takes under two minutes, and the whole thing is done in ten.
1. Sort the reviews by "Most Recent" instead of "Most Relevant." Platforms default to showing you the glowing ones. Recent reviews tell you what the business is actually like today.
2. Read the 3-star reviews first. Skip the 5s and 1s. Mid-range reviews are the least likely to be planted or spiteful, and they give you the most honest picture of the tradeoffs.
Check the reviewer, not just the review
3. Click on three of the most enthusiastic reviewer names. A real customer has a review history: restaurants, other services, a few photos. A fake account often has one review total — this one — or a burst of five-star reviews all posted the same week.
4. Look for timing clusters. Open the review dates and scan for spikes. Fifteen five-star reviews in a single week, followed by silence, is the signature of a bought review batch.
5. Watch for copy-paste language. Fake reviews recycle phrases like "professional and on time" or "highly recommend this company" without a single specific detail. Real reviews mention the job: the leaking valve, the color they picked, the delay when materials came late.
If every review sounds like it was written by the same person, it probably was.— consumer fraud investigator
Verify outside the review page
6. Search the exact business name plus the word "complaint" or "scam." Then check your state contractor licensing board (search "[your state] contractor license lookup") and paste in their license number. Confirm the license is active and matches the name on the reviews. An unmatched or expired license is a hard stop.
7. Request three references from the last six months — not their all-time favorites. Ask each reference two questions: "Did the final price match the quote?" and "Would you hire them again knowing what you know now?" A contractor with nothing to hide hands these over the same day.
Ask these directly before signing anything
Use this script on the phone or in writing:
"Can you send me your license number and proof of current insurance?"
"Can I get three references from jobs completed in the last six months?"
"Will you put the full scope, materials, and payment schedule in a written contract?"
"Are you willing to accept payment through escrow, released as milestones are completed?"
The last question is the fastest filter you have. A contractor who does good work has no reason to fear getting paid when the work is done.
The one red flag in almost every bad hire
They pressure you for a large cash deposit up front — before any work begins, before a contract is signed, often with a "discount" if you pay today.
That urgency exists for one reason: to get your money into their hands before you've had a chance to verify anything. Real contractors have cash flow, insurance, and a schedule. They can wait for a signed agreement and a fair payment structure. The ones who can't are telling you something.
The simplest protection is to never let a deposit leave your control until the work you paid for actually exists. That's what escrow does — your money stays held until each milestone is met, so a fake five-star profile can't turn into a real lost deposit.