Storm tree scams: what attorneys general and trading standards warn owners about

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. It describes warnings written for the storm they followed. It does not say that any seller, door-knock or quote is a scam, and licensing rules differ by state, so the office in each row is the one that decides.

The warnings side by side

Place and office	What it lists and where complaints go
Connecticut, United States: Attorney General, August 10, 2020, after Tropical Storm Isaias	People going door to door offering power reconnection, roof repair or tree removal for cash; utility crews and their authorised contractors carry identification and do not ask consumers for payment. Complaints: The Attorney General's office or the Department of Consumer Protection hotline.
Florida, United States: Attorney General, October 11, 2024, after Hurricane Milton	Unsolicited tree removal approaches; written estimates; proof of insurance checked with the insurer; no full payment up front. Complaints: The Attorney General's No Scam app, website or phone line.
Georgia, United States: Attorney General, September 25, 2024, ahead of Hurricane Helene	Full payment up front, cash only, no written contract, door-to-door offers, a contractor offering to cover an insurance deductible. Complaints: The Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.
Tennessee, United States: Attorney General, February 4, 2026, after ice storms	Door-to-door sales, high pressure, full payment up front, cash only, no written terms, unsolicited texts or calls, claims of insurance or agency ties. Complaints: The Division of Consumer Affairs, and the Department of Commerce and Insurance for a licensed contractor.
Devon, Somerset, Plymouth and Torbay, England: Heart of the South West Trading Standards, via Devon County Council, February 22, 2022	Cold callers claiming to be tree surgeons or roofers; a branch said to be damaged or a tile loose. Complaints: The Citizens Advice Consumer Service.
Wrexham, Wales: Trading Standards, via Wrexham Council, December 9, 2024, after Storm Darragh	Callers at the door, leaflets, online platforms; a business name with no contact details. Complaints: The Citizens Advice Consumer Service, and the local police team for traders working in a neighbourhood.
Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland: No official page found on October 9, 2026	Not published.

United States

The Tennessee Attorney General's consumer alert on tree trimming and removal scams says tree trimmers are typically required to hold a contractor's license for storm repair work, and that the governor suspended the licensing requirement until March 7, 2026 for storm damage cleanup while still requiring "sufficient experience and knowledge in the field". It says the suspension does not provide insurance. It says some sales staff use tablets and only show where to sign, and that a common scam is a service promising insurance will pay all of the cost, then billing the insurer many times the invoice shown to the owner. It also says some cities and counties offer free brush pick up.

The Georgia Attorney General's storm scam release says scammers may charge exorbitant prices for tree removal, and that for tree removal the owner can check with the International Society of Arboriculture for a valid arborist credential. It says tree removal services are among the trades not required to be licensed by the state. It lists what legitimate contractors should be able to provide: a business license, general liability insurance, workers compensation insurance, and written manufacturer and labor warranties.

The Florida Attorney General's consumer alert after Hurricane Milton says an insurer can be asked to confirm that a contractor's policy is current, and that owners should get multiple written estimates and ask whether debris removal is included. It says a company's licence and complaint history can be checked at the state licence site, and that a contractor's contract should carry the buyer's right to cancel wording.

The Connecticut Attorney General's release on tree removal and power restoration scams says contractors should be licensed by the state, and gives a state licence lookup. It says a written estimate from at least three contractors that includes labour and materials is advised.

United Kingdom

The Devon County Council news item on cold callers after storms quotes the head of the Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service. It says callers who say a branch is damaged or a tile is loose are among the tactics seen after earlier storms, and lists advice: speaking to the insurer first because it is likely to have a list of approved traders, getting at least three quotes and knowing the trader's name and address. The Wrexham Council notice on rogue traders after Storm Darragh says reputable local tree surgeons often work off recommendations and that an owner may have to wait. For checking a firm on the credentials it lists, the guide on checking a company sets out the registers by country.

What the notices have in common

Full payment up front is named in the Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and Connecticut notices, and cash-only payment in the Georgia and Tennessee notices. Written estimates are named in the Florida, Connecticut and Tennessee items, and several quotes in the Devon and Wrexham items. Door-to-door or cold-call approaches are named in all six. Each notice is a snapshot of one storm and one office, and none is a list of firms.

Who to call

Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs: deceptive business practices; the same page names the Department of Commerce and Insurance for a licensed contractor
Georgia Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division: storm fraud reports
Florida Attorney General: disaster scams and price gouging
Citizens Advice Consumer Service: reports of rogue traders in England and Wales, per the trading standards notices
Your home insurer: weather damage, which the notices say to raise before agreeing to any work