Watch out for Hurricane Scams

Recently, a good chunk of Florida was left devasted by a category 4 hurricane. With millions of homes and businesses impacted, plenty of people are in major need ofhousing, vehicles, and financial aid. Sadly, criminals can’t turn down an opportunity to take advantage of vulnerable people as we’ve already started to see an increase in scams. From faking insurance claims, to posing as charities, there’s no limit to how far bad guys will go to exploit victims of a natural disaster. This isn’t the first time these types of scams have popped up and it certainly won’t be the last, but we’ll provide you with the tips you need to avoid these fraudsters.

Let’s start with some basic tips that can apply to most phone calls/email scams you may receive.

• NEVER give anyone your information unless you can verify the legitimacy of the agency.
  • For example, if someone is claiming to work for your insurance company and is asking for information, politely hang up, then try to contact the company directly by visiting their website and looking for a phone number.
• Government agencies/insurance companies/charities will never call demanding money
  • There is no fee for disaster relief, regardless of if it’s for an induvial or for a business.
• Caller ID and location DO NOT MEAN ANYTHING
  • Criminals can easily fake the names of businesses/agencies as well as location and area code by spoofing.
• Never click on any links or download any files you receive from unknown email senders
• Unlicensed contractors
  • Confirm licensing before hiring a contractor by visiting athttps://florida.licensesearch.org/contractor/.
  • Confirm the business is registered to conduct business in Florida by visitinghttps://sunbiz.org

Moving on to some specific cases

• Criminals can pose as third-party contractors/repair companies claiming to work with insurance companies.
  • Never provide with any information without verifying with your agency first.
• Only donate to reputable charities, and never over the phone unless you can verify their integrity.
  • Criminals can fake lesser-known charities’ or non-profits’ websites, so that’s why it’s important to stick to well-established, trusted sources to donate to. (Red Cross, etc)

To recap, these tips don’t apply specifically to hurricane Ian scams, but all types of disasters as well. As long as there’s innocent people to take advantage of, criminals will find the most effective and elaborate ways to do it.

If you’d like to report suspected fraud, you can call the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at 1-866-720-5721. If you need to report other fraudulent activities during or following a natural disaster, please notify FEMA at 1-866-720-5721 or disaster@leo.gov.

Sincerely,

Carrie and Kyle Kerskie