PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla — A woman says she received an uncomfortable and frightening message from a man on social media after she complained he wasn ot a licensed mover.
Melissa Ufer has never done business with 52-year-old Anthony Magazu, but she has seen him on social media promoting his moving business.
"I couldn’t let him advertise that knowing what I knew in case it happened to someone else, it just didn’t feel right to me,” she said.
She saved a post from a potential customer who says when she asked him for his license number, he refused to give it out, unless he could come to her house and give a quote.
"If you’re a reputable business then you just give your license. I mean, what's the problem if you have nothing to hide? she said."
Ufer says after seeing that, she copied and pasted it in Magazu's advertisement and that's when she says he sent her a private message.
"I know where you live already and be ready for repercussion,” Ufer says the message read. "I don’t think he actually knew where I live because my address is not online."
But it scared her enough to file a report with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
When ABC Action News went to the address listed for Magazu, someone spoke to us through the door and said they were Magazu's 81-year-old father. A short time later, a man that looked just like Magazu came out of the same apartment, got on a bike and rode off.
Magazu called us a few hours later and admitted he is not licensed and that he was using an ex-business partner’s license. Magazu is a felon who's been to prison for things like grand theft and forgery.
He told us he plans to shut his business down until he can get a license. He also told us he doesn’t remember sending Melissa that Facebook message.
“If it seems too good to be true, you know, even if you’re strapped for cash don’t jump at that opportunity,” said Ufer. "I would definitely look into whatever company you want to go with.”
The Department of Agriculturesays if a business can’t provide its license number that is a red flag. You can research companies and their licensing information on Sunbiz.org and BBB.org
