MARCO ISLAND, Fla. (WBBH) — John Mikitaroff, the co-owner of Island Garage Door on Marco Island, is still trying to wrap his head around what’s happened over the past couple of months.

His company, much like the customers they serve, was hit hard by Hurricane Ian. Their office took on water. 

But the storm’s impact was just the start of the problems. A few weeks ago, Mikitaroff was caught off guard when an angry customer walked through their doors.

“We’ve done work for her multiple times, multiple homes, and she was outraged with the price, which – once I saw the price – it was obnoxious,” he recalled.

The problem was, for this latest job, she hadn’t actually hired his company. She only thought she had.

And she was just the first case. Mikitaroff said the same thing has kept on happening since — at least half a dozen times now. 

“I’ve got customers coming in thinking they’re calling us, and when they give the invoice, it’s not us,” he explained. “The trucks don’t have ‘Island Garage Door’ on them. And we’re getting a bad rap right now for something we’re not even doing.” 

Mikitaroff reported the situation to the Marco Island Police Department. They wouldn’t comment on the case to NBC2, but did confirm they have opened a criminal investigation. 

The problem, Mikitaroff believes, is that when customers search for his company on Google, other generic company names pop up as well. Some even appear to be promoted as ads. 

He said customers set up appointments and think they’re hiring his company, but they’re not. He isn’t exactly sure who’s behind it. 

“Whatever they’re doing, it’s… people are falling for it,” he explained. “It continues to happen, and it’s brutal.” 

Mikitaroff said, simply put, if a customer hires his company and the work van that shows up doesn’t have their name all over it – it isn’t them. 

He’s worried what this could mean to his business long term. 

“This is a small island. You bash – I start getting bashed, and people don’t know the truth. I’m gonna go down the gutter just like anybody else,” he said. 

Whether you hire someone to repair your garage door or perform any type of work after the storm, make sure they can prove they are with the company you meant to hire. If the business name on the invoice does not match, that’s a red flag.

You should also check if the company has a local address or headquarters. That can help prove they are established and have served the area before the hurricane. If they don’t have a local address, that could be a red flag as well.

And of course, make sure the worker at your door has a legitimate license to be doing the job. 

If you suspect fraud is taking place in your community, you can contact the Fraud Hotline at 1-800-378-0445 or visit here.

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