A Long Neck contractor faces charges after officials say he accepted payment for work that he never finished.

Officials say Sergio Izzo Jr., 32, of Lewes, was paid by several people for home improvement work, but he did not complete the work and he did not refund the homeowners, said Carl Kanefsky, spokesman for the Department of Justice.

The Delaware DOJ Consumer Protection Unit investigated the complaints and additional complaints. Kanefsky said allegations include unauthorized use of a credit card, and accepting delivery materials from a building supply company and then failing to pay them. Izzo conducted business as Izzo & Son Turf Company, LLC, based in Long Neck, Kanefsky said.

Izzo was charged with four counts of theft, two counts of issuing a bad check, two counts of home improvement fraud, two counts of unlawful use of a payment card, two counts of second-degree forgery, two counts of criminal impersonation, and one count of providing false statements to hinder an investigation.

Homeowners who believe they may have a similar complaint about Izzo or Izzo & Son Turf Company, LLC, or have information to share with authorities, are asked to contact DOJ Special Investigator Dan Daly at (302) 752-3215.

DOJ Consumer Protection advises Delawareans hiring a contractor for home improvement work to be alert for scams. Contractors should always be bonded and maintain all required licenses for mechanical work; get references for their work; and never pay for the work in cash or in full up front, Kanefsky said.

If consumers suspect they are a victim of home improvement fraud, they should contact their local law enforcement agency to make a police report. In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.