Tips offered for post-disaster scam avoidance

Jun. 21--Disasters like the recent floods often unite communities as people come together to help out their neighbors -- they also present opportunities exploited by some to take advantage of others.

Floodwaters barely had begun to recede before less than reliable information began circulating about do-it-yourself mold remediation and people began offering services on social media sites at discounted prices. Warnings also began to pop up about how predators use disasters to steal identities.

Chief Deputy Michael Mahan of the Muskogee County Sheriff's Office said residents here appear to have been fortunate to date in the wake of recent flooding. He said the sheriff's office has fielded no "complaints about anybody trying to scam anybody related to the recent floods."

"Scam artists will think of 101 ways to try and get to you, so you want to be cautious," Mahan said. "We encourage people to check backgrounds. Anybody who is doing business legitimately won't hesitate to give you their information, what their background is, and their credentials."

Mahan recalled a recent complaint made by a person who had hired somebody to power-wash a house. The complainant signed a contract but failed to keep a copy for herself.

When the job was done and the signed contract delivered, the contractor demanded an amount that differed from the original agreement. Because there was no copy of a contract with a different amount, the woman was unable to prove her claim.

"Anytime you have a contract you need to read it thoroughly and immediately request a copy after you sign it or take a picture of it," Mahan said. "If you don't, they could add something else to it and you could find yourself in a situation where they can take advantage of you."

The Federal Communications Commission reports fraudsters have employed robocall technology to target residents about flood insurance. FCC officials say anybody who receives a call of this type should verify independently the legitimacy of the caller before providing any personal information.

Federal officials have issued advisories about various scams that often occur during the wake of a natural disaster as scammers prey on people when they are most vulnerable. The Federal Communications Commission warned about fraudsters' use of robocall technology to target residents with calls about flood insurance.

Anybody who receives calls of this nature should verify the legitimacy of the call before agreeing to provide any personal information or payment, FCC officials advise. Flood victims should call instead an insurance agent or the National Flood Insurance Program (800) 638-6620.

The Department of Homeland Security reported in 2018 an increased risk of identity theft during post-disaster response efforts. This prompted the formation of a task force made up of representatives of multiple federal agencies to address the issue.

Wilkens Fequiere, who works with the individual assistance division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, offered advice to those who attended a town hall meeting this week in Fort Gibson and said they should "call the FEMA help line to verify if you're not sure" about the identity of a caller.

"Sometimes you will get a call from FEMA -- I call people as well, and sometimes you don't get a good vibe," Fequiere said. "If you don't know them ..., you are not going to pick up, or you ... usually hang up."

Fequiere said FEMA workers making those calls will need the information being requested -- proof of identity, occupancy or ownership -- before claims can be processed or approved. But he said if claimants have any doubts about who is requesting that information, it is best for the claimant to call FEMA and independently verify the legitimacy of the previous caller.

"Call the FEMA help line, tell them somebody called and said they were from FEMA and wanted some information," Fequiere said, trying to provide assurance to those who had some concerns about scammers. "Sometimes they are not FEMA -- just to give you guys a heads up -- please call the FEMA help line to verify if you're not sure."

When it comes to rebuilding or cleaning up after a disaster, Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter offered some advice to consumers. In the consumer protection section on his website, Hunter highlighted these red flags:

--Unsolicited contact from contractors -- be especially suspicious of door-to-door solicitations.

--Contractors who do have no local address and arrived to the area following a disaster.

--Contractors who offer steep discounts because they have excess material left over from a previous job.

--Contractors who require substantial payments in advance of performing any work.

--Contractors who require cash payment also should raise suspicions.

The FEMA helpline is (800) 621-3362.

The National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline is (866) 720-5721.

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