Keep me logged in until I sign out. Fortunately, states often have laws modeled after federal laws. State and local agencies are a lot closer to you and a lot more apt to pursue a small contractor who may have violated them. If you suspect that a contractor you're dealing with is breaking the law, get in touch with your state attorney general's office or local department of consumer affairs.
Some states have laws specifically aimed at dishonest contractors.
For example, Illinois has a specific Home Repair Fraud Act, strengthened in July 1992. The law makes it a crime to misrepresent the terms of a home repair contract, deceive people into signing one, damage someone's property to drum up home repair business, or charge an unconscionable fee for home repair services. The statute also establishes an arbitration program for resolving disputes, plus a guaranty fund to compensate homeowners for unpaid judgments. The guaranty fund is unusual. In Illinois and many other states, the law provides criminal penalties for errant contractors without providing for restitution for victims.