Scammers are taking advantage of those recovering from disasters such as floods, tornados and severe storms. Contractor fraud and identity theft are the most popular types of scams after disasters. The thieves are pretending to be disaster officials and searching for victims by going door-to-door or calling on the telephone.
"Unfortunately, some people take advantage of others when they are at their most vulnerable," said the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Stephen R. Thompson. "We remind residents to be especially careful."
The scammers try to extort money in this disaster relief fraud by claiming that they need to inspect the house to file a fake claim for assistance. Some thieves may try to obtain personal information to steal identifies, or ask for an upfront payment then vanish. If you live in an area recently hit by a natural disaster, be sure to watch out for these disaster relief insurance scams and avoid becoming a victim of identity theft. Read more at LoanSafe.org.
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