Troy P Jowers RIP OFF REPORT(home improvement or tree service) Jacksonville FL

Summer is on its way and trees are continuing to grow. If you're one to call for help to get your yard worked on, this is one scam alert you will want to take notice of.

Troy Preston Jowers, whose last known address was in Live Oak, has been making the rounds in four counties, including Madison County, and scamming citizens out of their money and time. According to alleged victims, Jowers, who works under multiple business names, makes a verbal agreement to do yard work. Jowers then does only partial work but requires full or partial payment on the first day after letting the client know that he or his crew will be back at a specific time in the following days. The real scam is when he never shows back up and the client's money is gone.

According to Madison County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) Sergeant Bobby Boatwright, he had Jowers arrested in Clay County for attempted exploitation of the elderly. The Florida State Attorney's Office, however, did not support the charge and stated that the whole matter is a civil case. In Clay County, according to the victim, Jowers was charged with petit theft and was made to pay back the amount the client was defrauded for. The victim stated they settled out of court for approximately $630 and has yet to see the money. Sgt. Boatwright informed Greene Publishing, Inc. that Jowers called him, stating that he had done nothing wrong. Boatwright invited him to come to the MCSO to provide a sworn statement, but Jowers has not appeared.

In total, the verified number of cases varies. Jowers has potentially scammed three Hamilton County residents, three Clay County residents, and four Suwanee County residents. According to Boatwright, Jowers has attacked Madison County twice.

According to a Madison County resident who has had first-hand experience with Jowers, at the end of April, he was traveling home when the truck ahead of him was a slow-traveling vehicle he had not seen in the area before. The resident stated Jowers pulled over and waved him by. The resident pulled into his driveway and got out to check the mail to scout out who the person was in the truck. He then stated that Jowers pulled in behind him and got out of his vehicle.

Jowers stated that he was in the area looking for business ahead of his crew and was not trying to cause any harm. Jowers also stated that his father passed away and was trying to pay bills. An estimate of approximately $1,600 was given to the resident and the resident agreed to the work.

The resident stated that he was suspicious of Jowers and called MCSO to have a deputy run his information. He then stated that "Jowers went bezerk." Around 2 p.m., about 45 minutes after Jowers began his work, Jowers informed the resident that he had to go pick his child up from school in Live Oak. Jowers stated that he needed half of the money today and will have his crew return the following morning to complete the work. The resident wrote the check but did not see Jowers the following day.

The resident was able to reach Jowers once in the following days. Jowers stated that he had been so busy and was surely going to arrive back in Madison County the following Monday to complete the work. However Jowers has not returned.

The complaints in Hamilton, Suwannee, and Clay counties are similar to the Madison County resident's complaint. Jowers is currently targeting senior citizens with an average age of 72.5.

Jowers operates under a multitude of names: Troy's Tree Service, Jowers' Tree Service, Preston's Tree Service, Big and Tall Service, Tree Guys, Get-R-Done Tree Service, and Oaks Tree Service. If Jowers shows up in your yard to offer services, you are asked to call the MCSO at (850) 973-4151 and have him removed from your property.