Tree service scams to avoid: storm chasers, cash deals and needless removals
Updated · KeystoneProGuide editorial team
What is the most common tree service scam?
The storm chaser. After a storm, people turn up offering to clear a fallen tree for cash, today, with no paperwork. The Federal Trade Commission says that after any weather event, unlicensed contractors and scammers may call, email, text or knock on the door "promising to fix your leaky roof, clean up water damage, or remove a fallen tree". It says they often will not give a written contract, will try to get paid in full in advance, and may then do shoddy work or none at all.
Penn State Extension describes the same pattern from the tree side. It says that after a storm "it is common for people to claim to be 'tree specialists'", that they take advantage of the situation with little training and no insurance, and that they often do more harm than good at unfair prices.
How do these scams work?
Consumer agencies in several states have documented the tactics. None of the releases below is about a Pennsylvania case, but the methods do not depend on the state.
- Posing as the utility. Connecticut's Attorney General reported people going door to door after storms, some claiming to work for utility companies, offering to reconnect power or remove trees in exchange for cash. The release says utility companies and their authorized contractors always carry identification, and that none will ask consumers for payment.
- Taking deposits and disappearing. Georgia's Attorney General says storm chasers may ask for payment up front for repair work and then disappear without doing it.
- Overcharging. The same Georgia release says scammers may "charge exorbitant prices for tree removal", charge for unnecessary repairs or do substandard work.
- Insurance tricks. Georgia also warns that some offer to cover the homeowner's insurance deductible and persuade the owner to give false reports to the insurer, which can drag the homeowner into insurance fraud. It advises talking to your own insurer before committing to any storm work.
What warning signs do Pennsylvania's agencies list?
The Pennsylvania Insurance Department says natural disasters "can be a magnet for dishonest solicitors" and to be wary of anyone who knocks on the door. It adds:
- be cautious of contractors with no company information on their vehicles; out-of-state plates can be another red flag;
- do not sign paperwork with blank sections, because someone might fill them in later;
- do not pay in full, or sign that the work is complete, until it is;
- check that anyone presenting as a public adjuster, a claims handler you can hire, holds a state licence.
The FTC's general list of home improvement scam tactics overlaps: claiming to be "in the area", pressure for an immediate decision, asking for everything up front or cash only, and asking you to get the permits. Its weather page adds that anyone who insists on payment by cash, gift card, wire transfer, payment app or cryptocurrency is a scammer.
Which bad practices are not scams but still cost you?
Topping is the main one. The International Society of Arboriculture calls it "perhaps the most harmful tree pruning practice known", and Penn State says it leads to decay, weak regrowth and more storm damage, and can reduce the value of a large ornamental tree by thousands of dollars. Penn State notes that poor pruning such as topping increases sharply after storms, because people think a smaller tree is safer, when in the long run the opposite is true. Yet the service is still sold: the cost site Angi lists topping at $400 to $800 a tree. Penn State says reputable companies generally do not list topping as a service, and suggests looking for another firm if "topping" or "rounding over" appears in a bid.
Penn State's Master Gardeners add two more: climbing spikes on living trees, which an ISA-certified arborist would never use, and pressure through "limited-time" deals.
What about being told a healthy tree must come down?
Get a second opinion. Penn State Extension says it is sometimes good to get one from another qualified arborist before removing a tree. In its advice to municipalities, it goes further: the arborist who assesses whether trees are a risk "should not be the same arborist who will be bidding on the removal of the trees", to avoid a conflict of interest. A homeowner can borrow that idea by paying separately for an assessment from someone who will not do the work. Penn State also warns that "diseased" does not always mean dangerous.
How do you protect yourself?
- Check a company before you need one, as the FTC suggests, and ask for ID, proof of insurance and references.
- Get the job, the total price and every promise in writing, with no blanks.
- Pay by credit card after the work is done, if you can, and never in advance.
- Turn down anyone who offers to cover your deductible.
The full set of checks is in how to choose a tree service, and the questions that flush out a weak company are in questions to ask a tree service.
Where do you report a scam in Pennsylvania?
The Office of Attorney General takes consumer complaints through its online forms and says it receives more than 50,000 complaints and referrals a year. Unregistered home improvement contractors can be reported on 1-888-520-6680. The FTC takes reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Bucks and Delaware counties have their own consumer offices, described in the county guides. Businesses that serve your area are on the tree services directory page.
Sources
- How To Prepare for a Weather Emergency While Avoiding Scams, Federal Trade Commission
- How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam, Federal Trade Commission
- AG Tong Warns Connecticut Residents to be on Alert for Tree Removal, Power Restoration Scams, Connecticut Office of the Attorney General
- Consumer Alert: Carr Warns of Home Repair Fraud, Scams Following Recent Storms, Georgia Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division
- Natural Disaster Insurance Guide, Pennsylvania Insurance Department
- Helping Trees Recover After Storms, Penn State Extension
- Pruning Landscape Trees, Penn State Extension
- When to Call an Arborist, Penn State Extension (Allegheny County Master Gardeners)
- Dealing with Tree Risk: Tips for Municipal Shade Tree Commissions, Penn State Extension
- Pruning Trees, International Society of Arboriculture (TreesAreGood.org)
- How Much Does Professional Tree Trimming Cost?, Angi
- Submit a Complaint, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
- Home Improvement Contractor Verification, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
- Consumer Protection/ Weights & Measures, Bucks County
- Consumer Affairs/Weights & Measures, Delaware County