SANDY SPRINGS — Scammers are showing up uninvited at homes in the Sandy Springs area and offering pine straw delivery or installation, then pressuring residents to pay exorbitant prices, according to police.
What’s happening: Police say residents should watch for people who arrive without being called, claim an order was already placed, start work without permission, quote a price that is much higher than what was originally stated, or demand immediate cash payment. Some become aggressive or refuse to leave when asked.
Protect yourself: Police say residents should not agree to any work they did not request, settle on a price before any service starts, and look up the company or person independently before paying. Taking photos of the property before and after any work and keeping receipts, estimates, and written messages can also help.
If someone does unauthorized work, refuses to leave, or you believe you have been defrauded, police say to call law enforcement.
In Context: This pine straw scam is a common one that shows up every year all over Georgia. Consumers have been scammed out of thousands of dollars because of it.
B.T. Clark is the Publisher of The Georgia Sun and author of Principles Are Like Pants… You Ought to Have Some. Over two decades in journalism, he has served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc., earning multiple awards along the way. His work has appeared in newspapers across the state, including The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal.
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
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