Board discusses Fiverr and Yelp as enforcement challenges after rise in forged stamps and unlicensed advertising

Enforcement staff and committee members told the California Architects Board Enforcement Committee they are seeing an increase in advertising and service scams on third-party platforms that complicate enforcement.

Staff described recent cases in which unlicensed persons advertised architectural services, presented forged paper licenses or stamps, or sold plans through platforms where users may be anonymous and payments are controlled by the platform. Mike (enforcement analyst) said platforms like Fiverr present particular challenges: many user profiles are anonymous, platform payments are internal and often not recoverable by clients, and platform operators can be outside the United States.

Committee members asked about outreach and remedies. Staff said Yelp’s automated categorization of businesses under “architect” or “building designer” has been resistant to change; staff have had more success when actual licensees contact platforms and file complaints. Suggestions included coordinating with other licensed professions, engaging the state attorney general’s office on platform-facilitated fraud, and reaching out to industry organizations to amplify complaints.

Committee members recommended targeted outreach to planning and building organizations and suggested exploring alliances with other occupational boards to press platforms or legislatures for better consumer protections. No formal regulatory action was adopted; staff will continue outreach and report back.