Spokane, Wash. – Survivors of the Gray and Oregon Road Fires should be aware that con artists and criminals may try to obtain money or steal personal information through fraud, scams, or identity theft.
FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance
- Federal and local disaster workers do not solicit or accept money. Don’t trust anyone who offers financial help and then asks for money.
- Do not disclose information to any unsolicited telephone calls and e-mails from individuals claiming to be FEMA or federal employees. FEMA will only contact you if you have called FEMA first or registered for assistance. If you receive suspicious emails or phone calls, you can call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 to verify if a FEMA call or email is legitimate.
- FEMA representatives will ask for social security and bank account numbers when you apply and may ask for it again after you apply. Be cautious when giving this information to others who ask for it. Scam artists may pose as government officials, aid workers, or insurance company employees.
- Ask to see ID badges. All FEMA representatives carry an identification badge with a photograph. A FEMA shirt or jacket is not proof of identity.
Phony Property Inspections:
- Be on alert if somebody asks for your nine-digit registration number. FEMA inspectors will never ask for this information. They already have it in their records.
- FEMA-contracted inspectors assessing damage never charge a fee to inspect your property.
Phony Building Contractors:
- FEMA does not hire or endorse specific contractors to fix homes or recommend repairs. A FEMA inspector’s job is to verify damage.
- Always hire a reputable engineer, architect or building official to assess your home. An unethical contractor may create damage to get work.
To report scams, fraud, and identity-theft contact:
- FEMA’s toll-free Disaster Fraud Hotline at 1-866-720-5721
- The Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud: justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster- complaint-form
- When in doubt, report any suspicious behavior to your local authorities.
You can register for FEMA assistance online by visiting disasterassistance.gov, using the FEMA mobile app, or by calling 1-800-621-3362.
FEMA is committed to ensuring disaster assistance is accomplished equitably, without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. Any disaster survivor or member of the public may contact the FEMA Civil Rights Office if they feel that they are the victim of discrimination. FEMA’s Civil Rights Office can be contacted at 833-285-7448. Multilingual operators are available.
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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.