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Storm-chaser alerts · Texas

When a storm hits, fraudulent contractors race in. They form an LLC the week after, knock on doors with cash-only deals, and dissolve before any complaints can be filed. Here's what's active in Texas right now and how to protect yourself.

17 active alerts

Texas is in an active disaster window

9 severe · 4 moderate · 4 minor

Out-of-state contractors have already started moving in. Verify before you sign anything.

Active declarations

How storm-chaser fraud works

Six red flags. If three or more match the contractor at your door, walk away.

  1. 1
    LLC formed within 90 days of the storm
    A new business entity formed right after the declaration is the single strongest predictor. Real local contractors have years of public records.
  2. 2
    Out-of-state license plates, no local address
    Trucks from three states away. PO boxes instead of physical offices. Door-to-door knocks before the dust settles.
  3. 3
    Cash-only or insurance-check-only demands
    Wants the insurance check signed over directly. Refuses credit card, refuses a contract, refuses to wait for the adjuster.
  4. 4
    High-pressure same-day signature
    "This deal is only good today." Real contractors take notes, give you a written estimate, and let you compare.
  5. 5
    Will not show a current state license
    Or shows one from a different state. Or one that was suspended. Verify the number against your state's license board before signing.
  6. 6
    Other entities tied to the same agent or address
    Storm chasers often run multiple LLCs that fold in sequence. Search the registered agent's name and the principal address — if multiple companies show up, that's the pattern.

Check before you sign

Earthmove runs a 30-second background check on any contractor — license, business history, complaints, court records, and storm-chaser pattern detection in Texas.

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