Disaster Victims Warned To Watch For Scams
Release Date: June 22, 2004
Release Number: 1520-042
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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- It has come to the attention of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the State of Indiana that there may be unscrupulous people trying to take advantage of the assistance provided to disaster victims. These people have called victims in a designated area, represented themselves as being with FEMA and, for a fee, offered to speed up the process of getting a check; they often ask for a bank account number.
“Anyone applying for disaster assistance should know that information gathered by FEMA, when they register through our toll-free number, is completely confidential,” says FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer, Justo “Tito” Hernandez. “That information is never given to anyone and is not accessible by computer. There is never a fee charged by official inspectors. There is never a fee to speed up getting assistance money to your account. FEMA grant money usually arrives in 7 to 10 days without ever charging a fee.”
Any official FEMA personnel who call to ask for private information will know your registration number. If you have any question about a caller, please call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Those with speech or hearing impairment may call TTY 1-800-462-7585.
Unfortunately, much of the information scam artists claim to have such as names, addresses, location of bank accounts, bank routing numbers, spouses’ names, etc, is readily available on the internet from a number of sources. In reported incidents, the scam artist did not have any individual bank account numbers or FEMA registration numbers, leading FEMA officials to believe they are merely targeting people in disaster designated counties.
“We really encourage people to be cautious about giving out private information,” said Luther J. Taylor, Sr., state coordinating officer in Indiana. “If you have any questions about a person claiming to be with FEMA, please call the 800 number. While nothing has been confirmed about scams operating in Indiana, other disaster areas are reporting them. We’re concerned about your privacy and we do not want you to become a victim again.”
Anyone who has been asked to pay a fee to gain access to FEMA Disaster Assistance money or to get a FEMA inspection completed, is asked to call the Indiana Attorney General’s Consumer Protection office at 1-800-382-5516.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 23-Jun-2004 09:12:03