Undercover contractor sting preview

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Now is the time people are considering projects around the house. However, because of the economy, the Target 12 Investigators have discovered an unprecedented number of contractors are taking shortcuts and it's homeowners who could end up paying the price.

The Rhode Island Contractors' Registration Board took Target 12 undercover - giving us an inside look into the contractor sting.

The state is seeing thousands who have let their registrations and insurance expire - but a lot of them are still working illegally - including a man who's accused of taking $90,000 from a homeowner for work he never completed.

Monday night on Eyewitness News at 10 on Fox Providence and on Eyewitness News at 11 on WPRI 12, hear how some of those caught in the sting tried to explain it away. We'll also reveal why hiring an unregistered and uninsured contractor can leave you financially strapped, and what you can do to make sure you're protecting yourself and your home.