Avoid Disaster Fraud

Disaster Fraud Hotline: 1-866-720-5721

I’ve been getting so many anti-scam tips from the FBI that I’ve started to call it “the bureau.” It reminded me of how some people affected by Hurricane Helene may never be made whole because they had been taken advantage of by opportunists in addition to losing everything.

The national emergency in North Carolina, Georgia, and other states is bound to bring out the generosity in us, but it really does seem like money can never just exist without being “frauded.” From people acting like predators, to people enriching themselves a little more than they legitimately should, the quality and quantity of aid suffers a death-by-1,000-papercuts type of decline.

So what does disaster fraud look like? Some examples include “inflating losses, faking repairs, claiming lost services, and in some cases, deliberately causing damage to property to collect on insurance policies in the wake of a disaster.”

So what should you do if you see fraud? The list below will tell you where to report it.

Hoarding or price-gouging of non-medical items: Local police or state AG
Online fraud and other cybercrimes: Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet
Crime Complaint Center.
Fraud related to Medicare or Medicaid: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General Hotline.
Fraud related to Disaster Food Stamps, or D-SNAP: Department of Agriculture
Hotline.
Fraud related to the Small Business Administration: Small Business Administration Hotline.
Unemployment benefit fraud: Department of Labor Hotline