Survivors should be aware that con artists and criminals may try to obtain money or steal personal information through fraud or identity theft after a disaster. In some cases, thieves try to apply for FEMA assistance using names, addresses and Social Security numbers they have stolen from survivors.
If a FEMA inspector comes to your home and you did not submit a FEMA application, your information may have been used without your knowledge to create a FEMA application. If so, please inform the inspector that you did not apply for FEMA assistance so they can submit a request to stop further processing of the application.
If you did not apply for assistance, but receive a letter from FEMA, please call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. The helpline will submit a request to stop any further processing of that application.
If you do wish to apply for FEMA assistance after stopping an application made in your name without your knowledge, the helpline will assist you in creating a new application.
Scams
FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) crews, housing inspectors and other officials are working in areas impacted by the storms. They carry official identification badges with photo IDs. FEMA representatives never charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections or help in filling out applications.
Don't believe anyone who promises a disaster grant in return for payment.
Don't give your banking information to a person claiming to be a FEMA housing inspector. FEMA inspectors are never authorized to collect your personal financial information.
If you believe you are the victim of a scam, report it immediately to your local police or sheriff's department or contact Florida’s Office of the Attorney General by calling 866-9-NO-SCAM (866-966-7226) or visit myfloridalegal.com. To file a fraud complaint, go online to Scam Report (myfloridalegal.com).
If you have knowledge of fraud, waste or abuse, you can report these tips – 24 hours a day, seven days a week – to the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721. You can also email StopFEMAFraud@fema.dhs.gov to report a tip. For the latest information about Florida’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4794. Follow FEMA on X, formerly known as Twitter, at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema
Keywords
federal emergency management agency,
identity theft,
crimes,
property crimes,
crime,
national security,
issues in ethics,
identity document,
fraud,
financial crimes,
law,
government,
corporate crime,
common law,
inspector,
misconduct,
commercial crimes,
justice,
criminal justice,
law enforcement,
deception,
scam,
criminology,
privacy,
theft,
authentication methods,
social issues,
organized crime activity,
criminal law,
personal identification,
government and personhood,
identification,
access control,
politics,
applications of cryptography,
ethically disputed business practices,
deviance (sociology),
federal government of the united states,
complaint,
authentication,
social security number,
identity documents,
crime prevention,
law-related events,
corporate controversies,
security,
civil law (common law),
police,
government documents,
human rights,
tort law,
governance,
public law,
public safety,
social institutions,
emergency services,
social security (united states),
activities of criminal organizations,
hazards,
surveillance,
cybercrime,
public records,
legal action,
identity management,
united states,
security technology,
civil rights and liberties,
accountability,
problems in business economics,
law enforcement techniques,
abuse,
cyberwarfare,
society of the united states,
private law,
espionage techniques,
control (social and political),
computer law,
computer security,
security engineering,
cyberspace,
public policy,
public sphere,
service industries,
money,
computer access control,
documents,
property law,
ignorance,
emergency management,
corporate law,
business law,
public services of the united states,
nation,
financial regulation,
controversies,
social ethics,
finance,
legal documents,
united states law,
anti-corporate activism,
government information,
payments,
security breaches,
agencies of the united states government,
bank,
national identification numbers,
politics of the united states,
technology,
executive branch of the government of the united states,
public services,
disasters,
business,
violence,
organized crime,
confidence tricks,
data laws,
internet ethics,
public administration,
digital rights,
injustice,
professional ethics,
cultural globalization,
law of the united states,
aggression,
legal writing,
civil defense,
sheriff,
attorney general,
social influence,
politics and technology,
internet,
united states federal executive departments,
florida,
payment,
information technology,
international relations,
united states federal policy,
information technology management,
corruption,
world wide web,
government institutions,
political corruption,
secrecy,
citizenship,
ethically disputed practices,
information age,
secure communication,
international travel documents,
rights,
data management,
national identity cards,
ethically disputed political practices,
internet activism,
written communication,
personal finance,
banking,
political law,
economy of the united states,
social psychology,
disaster management,
economic law,
practice of law,
management,
identifiers,
economy,
computing,
safety,
political crimes,
digital media,
political scandals,
problem behavior,
regulation,
legal procedure,
financial services,
financial problems,
cyberpunk themes,
legal literature,
united states department of homeland security agencies,
banking technology,
national security of the united states,
criticisms of companies,
united states civil defense,
internet fraud,
information governance,
risk management,
financial law,
mass surveillance,
north america,
computer networks,
social conflict,
political science,
conflict (process),
cryptography,
political controversies,
international security,
travel,
judiciaries,
united states department of homeland security,
policy,
information science,
organization,
continuity of government,
occupational safety and health,
data protection,
international law,
medical ethics,
human rights abuses,
computer-mediated communication,
consumer protection,
telecommunications,
government agencies of the united states,
data modeling,
physical security,
privacy law,
internet safety,
united states federal law,
man-made disasters,
united states economic policy,
telecommunications law,
finance fraud,
criticisms,
aftermath of events,
criminal procedure,
disaster preparedness,
international transport,
state crime,
military communications,
federal law enforcement agencies of the united states,
agencies of united states federal executive departments,
government-related organizations,
corporate conduct,
risk,
national security institutions,
united states presidential administration controversies,
financial technology,
computer ethics,
trials,
information privacy,
internal affairs ministries,
online services,
business ethics,
collier news,
swfl,
collier county,
marco news,
marco island,
marco island florida,
coastal breeze news,
naples area,
naples
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here