Looks like I was one of the lucky ones

[Stocker]

Glad you got lucky, and I feel for the ones that weren't so lucky.

From the article:

The city clerk’s office in both cities confirmed that neither URE nor RRE has ever had a business license on file.

Huge red flag right there!! We all need to be aware and verify that license. We had a loss a few years back and I learned a lesson I won't forget. The guy literally locked up shop and disappeared overnight with a lot of customer's cash. Found out later he was unlicensed. What I thought was his state business license framed on the wall turned out to be just a local permit.