Beware Of Chimney Scams
There is a crisis that has the potential to effect the safety of every homeowner with a fireplace or stove, ultimately resulting in more chimney fires and CO2 poisoning incidents.
The flip side of this crisis is that every Chimney Sweep & Repair company in the country is subject to being put out of business by scammers that are able to set up FAKE GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILES. The Local Search for our member companies is off tremendously because the listings they have maintained for years are buried by unlicensed, uncertified and untrained scam artists who rip off consumers.
Official Involvement from organizations within the Chimney Industry – NCSG
Excerpted from official communication:
The National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG) is taking a firm stand against the rise of fraudulent chimney companies falsely claiming association with our organization. The NCSG promotes safety, education, business development, and advocacy for its members. SCAMMERS are prone to abusing credentials and logos to mislead consumers into believing they are certified members of the NCSG, CSIA, NFI or other organizations. These deceptive companies pose a serious threat to our industry’s reputation and put customers’ homes at risk.
Once the scammer has the work, they typically perform substandard work with high prices and forced sales pitches that scare consumers into spending money. Unfortunately the consumer doesn’t find out about their problem until they have an even worse problem than they had before. When Chimney Repairs are done improperly you can almost always count on spending more to fix the other guy’s mistakes.
Ours is a quasi-regulated industry, priding itself on education and certifications. When these imposters come in and steal our business it hurts us and it hurts the consumer.
The NCSG Board voted to establish a Task Force to help consolidate the efforts this group and others have made to combat scammers. With this effort they hope to prompt action from the entities responsible for consumer protection, such as the FTC and State Attorneys General. They have compiled a list of complaint links for State Attorneys General and the FTC.
The National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG) is taking a firm stand against the rise of fraudulent chimney companies falsely claiming association with our organization.
The NCSG promotes safety, education, business development, and advocacy for its members.
SCAMMERS are prone to abusing credentials and logos to mislead consumers into believing they are certified members of the NCSG, CSIA, NFI or other organizations. These deceptive companies pose a serious threat to our industry’s reputation and put customers homes at risk.
Once the SCAMMER has the work, they typically do substand work with high prices and forced sales pitches that scare consumers into spending the money. Unfortunately the consumer doent find out about their problem until they have an even worse problem than they ever did. When Chimney Repairs are done improperly you can almost always count on spending more to fix the other guys mistakes.
Ours is a quasi-regulated one, priding itself on education and certifications. When these imposters come in and steal our business it hurts us and it hurts the consumer.
Reclaiming The Chimney Sweep Trade from Digital Scammers
The chimney industry is facing a massive identity crisis and it’s happening right in front of you. On October 28th 2025, a group of about 20 professionals from the chimney sweep community gathered online to address a growing industry issue: the explosion of fake Google business locations on Google. This wasn’t just a one time venting session. This group has remained in constant communication, fighting the scammers who steal leads and put homeowners at risk.
Jerry Isenhour sat with Frank Motola and Stephen Allen to talk about where these ‘ghost locations’ and what can be done.
Excerpt from an interview with Jerry Isenhour, a chimney industry expert with 50 years of experience.
Jerry Isenhour: “It feels like a game of “whack-a-mole,” we get one suspended and two more pop up. Why is it so easy for them to get back on the map?”
Stephen Allen: “Because they’ve turned it into a science. They use fake documents and photos of a random door with a temporary logo taped on it to pass Google’s “verification”. These groups are well funded and generate billions in revenue funneled to their scam operation. They have the resources to get reinstated nearly every time they are reported and caught.”
Jerry Isenhour: “So if Google isn’t fixing it fast enough, what is our next move?”
Frank Motola: “We are moving past reporting to Google and going directly to the Media.”
CURRENT RESOURCES
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Additional Media & Press Files (Google Drive) – Access high-resolution assets, verified research documents, and additional visual files gathered during our investigation.
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Sweeping Magazine: May 2026 Issue (Issuu) – Read our co-authored feature article on page 6, featuring an exclusive interview with industry experts exposing the details of the digital scam epidemic.
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KSHB 41 Kansas City News Coverage – Watch the local investigative broadcast detailing how fake Google business listings are actively targeting and defrauding homeowners.
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NCSG Industry Alert: Questionable Google Practices – View the official warning and resource guide published by the National Chimney Sweep Guild regarding fraudulent digital profiles.
