So, I’ve been dealing with a relatively bizarre yet strangely entertaining situation that started a few weeks ago and has now taken a turn for the truly unbelievable. Quick disclaimer: Yes, I know someone will call me a dumbass or an idiot, and honestly, fair enough. I’ve never been scammed before, but I definitely let my guard down in this case for reasons that will hopefully become clear.
The story begins in early May, when a post appeared in my neighborhood Facebook group recommending a guy named Grant Frerking for mulch and pine straw installation. For context, this is a closed group that requires address verification, and it’s not open to solicitors. It’s very common for neighbors to act on each other’s recommendations, and until now, I’d never heard of anything going wrong certainly not at this scale.
The scam followed a calculated pattern:
Soon after, a neighbor raised a red flag. Others quickly chimed in, and within days, we had a group of 16 victims, some who paid in full, others partially, and many still waiting on installations now over a month overdue. Collectively, we estimate more than $15,000 has been stolen, just from our neighborhood alone.
Now here’s where it gets crazy. Grant Frerking isn’t just some random guy. He’s a former Wesleyan School football player and a preferred walk-on at the University of Tennessee. He was even featured in multiple publications, including The New York Times, for launching a mulch business as a high schooler. He somehow parlayed that into a Tennessee Fund “Shareholders Society” membership in 2023, presumably by donating money stolen from people like us.
The scam appears to be far more widespread than we initially thought. A quick search of his name on Nextdoor in any neighborhood across north GA reveals similar complaints. And now, On3’s Shannon Terry has made a public statement acknowledging that people have come forward to him about these allegations. FWIW, Grant's employment ended on May 27th of this year. This thing could easily stretch into tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years.
So, what’s next?
More updates to come. Buckle up. This is wild. #strawmageddon!
www.wvlt.tv
The story begins in early May, when a post appeared in my neighborhood Facebook group recommending a guy named Grant Frerking for mulch and pine straw installation. For context, this is a closed group that requires address verification, and it’s not open to solicitors. It’s very common for neighbors to act on each other’s recommendations, and until now, I’d never heard of anything going wrong certainly not at this scale.
The scam followed a calculated pattern:
- Grant completed a couple of initial jobs, earning the trust of early customers.
- Those satisfied customers posted glowing recommendations on the Facebook group.
- New orders started pouring in based on those trusted referrals.
- He then began requesting either half payment up front or a 10% discount for full prepayment to ensure you got on the schedule.
Soon after, a neighbor raised a red flag. Others quickly chimed in, and within days, we had a group of 16 victims, some who paid in full, others partially, and many still waiting on installations now over a month overdue. Collectively, we estimate more than $15,000 has been stolen, just from our neighborhood alone.
Now here’s where it gets crazy. Grant Frerking isn’t just some random guy. He’s a former Wesleyan School football player and a preferred walk-on at the University of Tennessee. He was even featured in multiple publications, including The New York Times, for launching a mulch business as a high schooler. He somehow parlayed that into a Tennessee Fund “Shareholders Society” membership in 2023, presumably by donating money stolen from people like us.
The scam appears to be far more widespread than we initially thought. A quick search of his name on Nextdoor in any neighborhood across north GA reveals similar complaints. And now, On3’s Shannon Terry has made a public statement acknowledging that people have come forward to him about these allegations. FWIW, Grant's employment ended on May 27th of this year. This thing could easily stretch into tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years.
So, what’s next?
- I’ll be interviewed by Atlanta News First tomorrow at 4 p.m. (I will be wearing full dawg gear)
- A warrant is expected to be issued in Milton on Friday.
- Roswell PD is continuing their investigation.
- We’re working to get this story picked up by media in Nashville and Knoxville to bring broader attention to this individual and protect future victims and hopefully ensure this guy can never show his face anywhere ever again.
More updates to come. Buckle up. This is wild. #strawmageddon!
UT student athlete to become Tennessee Fund ‘Shareholders Society’ member
Tennessee football player and entrepreneur Grant Frerking is set to make a gift to become the newest member of the Tennessee Fund’s “Shareholder Society.”
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