tree trimming scam back again - please advise family, friends and neighbours

Pamela Neighbourly Lead from Templeton

Hi Everyone,

The couple in their 80’s were approached (in their own home) by a couple of men of Pacific Island descent (the couple thought they were Samoan but couldn’t be absolutely sure).

They were told that their trees were too high and had to be cut back. They could do this for the couple. The couple felt pressured into saying yes –but did so with the husband agreeing on a price of $280 to cut back two trees and leaving a card with the business name of Erika Tree Services.

They came back to do this on Sunday and spent about an hour at the property (of which they had a ½ hour smoko break). When they had finished, the wife gave them a cheque for $280 made out to Erika Tree Services.

They tried to tell her that the price was $380 - and she said “no you agreed to $280” and showed where it had been written down. They then said that they wanted cash – they could not accept a cheque.

She was standing her ground and saying – we don’t have $280 in cash. They then insisted that the husband go down to the money machine and take the money out – which he eventually did.

The couple were also upset with them having a good look inside their garage and felt that their work was shoddy and was not done safely (no safety gear, including footwear, hearing and face guards and dangerous positioning on the fence.



Obvious concerns here are-

a) Their approach to the couple stating that the work had to be done

b) Trying to get more money than was agreed

c) Insisting on cash and that the husband go to the ATM to withdraw it

d) Unsafe work practices.



From Neighbourhood Support