Ohio Tornado Survivors: Beware of Disaster Fraud
May 7, 2024, Press Release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): COLUMBUS - Fraudulent activity typically increases after disasters. Con artists may try to get money from you or ask for your personal information to try and steal your identity.
Survivors of the March 14 tornadoes in Auglaize, Crawford, Darke, Delaware, Hancock, Licking, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Richland and Union counties should be aware that fraud and scams can occur anytime. If your home or personal property was damaged in the recent storms, be careful when giving out your personal information.
Remember, FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and other federal and state disaster workers will never ask for money and never require payment in any form.
Fraudulent Applications
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 this happens, 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, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service. The Helpline will submit a request to stop any further processing of that application.
Disaster-Related Scams
FEMA teams, housing inspectors and other officials will be working in areas affected by the March 14 tornadoes. Always ask to see I.D. FEMA personnel always have an official identification badge.
Be careful of unexpected phone calls or visits to your home from people claiming to be FEMA housing inspectors or people claiming they work for FEMA. FEMA inspectors will already have your FEMA application number, but they may ask you to verify personally identifiable information by phone. If you’re unsure whether a FEMA call or visit is legitimate, contact the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 to verify.
Don’t give your banking information to a person claiming to be a FEMA housing inspector. FEMA inspectors do not collect or ask to confirm your personal financial information.
Take Action
If you believe you are the victim of a scam, report it immediately to your local police or sheriff’s department.
If you have knowledge of fraud or scams involving FEMA’s disaster relief operations, you can report this to FEMA:
- Email: StopFEMAFraud@fema.dhs.gov
- Phone: 866-223-0814
- Mail: 400 C Street SW, Suite &SW-1009, Mail Stop 3005, Washington, DC 20472-3005.
To report and get help recovering from identity theft, visit IdentityTheft.gov.
For even more information about the disaster recovery operation in Ohio, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4777.
What to Expect: Housing Inspections
May 7, 2024, Press Release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): For residents in Auglaize, Crawford, Darke, Delaware, Hancock, Licking, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Richland and Union counties who report they cannot or may not be able to safely live in their home, FEMA may need to perform an inspection of the damaged dwelling.
Apply for FEMA Assistance
Homeowners and renters in the 11 designated Ohio counties with uninsured or underinsured damage caused by the March 14, 2024, tornadoes are encouraged to apply for FEMA disaster assistance. Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app or call 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service such as video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service. Don’t forget to file an insurance claim too—applicants who are insured for the disaster damage to their home must provide an insurance settlement or benefit documents to FEMA before being considered for federal assistance.
Home inspections
If you report to FEMA that you cannot, or may not be able to, safely live in your home, FEMA may need to perform an inspection of the damaged dwelling. The inspection helps FEMA verify disaster-caused damage and loss. Inspectors do not determine eligibility for FEMA assistance.
FEMA will call you to meet at the address where the damage was reported. The inspector’s phone number may be from out of state or show up on caller ID as “unavailable.” The inspector may ask you to verify personally identifiable information by phone. If you’re unsure whether a FEMA call is legitimate, contact the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 to verify. FEMA inspectors make several attempts over the course of a few days to contact the applicant. If the call goes to voicemail, the inspector will leave a call-back number, or you may receive a text message if no other contact is able to be made. If FEMA is unable to contact you to verify your damage, you will be sent a letter of notice that your application cannot be processed further—to proceed you must call FEMA’s Helpline at 800-621-3362 to confirm your contact information and verify your need for assistance.
When the FEMA inspector calls, write down:
- The inspector’s name
- Date of call
- Date and time of appointment
- Inspector’s telephone number
If you are contacted by a FEMA home inspector, but no one in the household applied for FEMA disaster assistance, inform the inspector that you did not apply for FEMA assistance and ask the inspector to withdraw the application. Also notify FEMA by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.
During inspection
A typical inspection takes up to 45 minutes to complete. You or your designated co-applicant identified on your application will need to meet with an inspector and provide a photo ID. You may invite another individual such as a household member, relative or friend to help communicate with the inspector.
- If you or your co-applicant are unable to meet with an inspector, a third-party can be designated in writing and pre-authorized before the scheduled time and date.
- FEMA never charges a fee for an inspection. The inspector carries an official photo ID and will never ask for bank information.
- The inspector will attempt to verify the applicant’s name, address, contact information, occupancy and ownership status and insurance coverage.
- The inspector will walk through the home to assess the condition of both damaged and non-damaged areas, noting disaster caused damage to real property (structural) and doing a complete inventory of all damaged and non-damaged essential personal property (appliances, furniture, etc.).
- The inspector will ask questions about disaster-caused losses and expenses including medical expenses, moving and storage expenses, items purchased in response to the disaster, uniforms, supplies, and tools required for school or employment.
- Inspectors will not climb on roofs or enter crawl spaces.
- Photos may be taken of the interior and exterior of the home during the inspection process.
- In situations where the home is inaccessible, the inspector may meet with the survivor at another location to verify identity, occupancy and/or ownership.
- If you suspect an inspector isn’t who they say they are, tell them to leave immediately and call local law enforcement.
After the Inspection
Information gathered during the inspection is only one of several criteria used by FEMA to determine eligibility for assistance. If you have questions after your inspection, please call FEMA’s Helpline at 800-621-3362.
FEMA will mail you a decision letter about eligibility for assistance. To receive updates and notifications faster, create an online DisasterAssistance.gov account after applying for FEMA assistance.
