Attention Senior Sandy Survivors: Beware Of Scams

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey seniors recovering from Hurricane Sandy are strongly advised to beware of scam artists claiming to represent the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration or the National Flood Insurance Program.

By going door to door to storm-damaged homes or making contact by phone or on the Internet, scam artists may try to obtain personal information such as Social Security and bank account numbers or falsely claim that you need to make a payment to a federal agency.

To avoid being a victim of a scam, remember:

  • On any follow-up calls, a FEMA representative will only ask for the last four digits of the applicant’s Social Security number.
  • While a FEMA representative may visit your home in connection with your claim, they will    not ask you to make a payment.
  • If someone comes to your door identifying themselves as a FEMA, SBA or NFIP representative, ask to see their federal identification badge. All authorized FEMA or SBA employees are required to display a laminated photo identification badge at all times.
  • If you believe you have been the victim of a scam, call the FEMA Fraud Hotline at 800-323-8603 or call the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs at 800-242-5846.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. 

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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Attention Senior Sandy Survivors: Beware Of Scams

Federal Disaster Assistance Includes Right of Appeal

WINDSOR, Conn. – Not every Connecticut resident who registered for federal disaster assistance following Hurricane Sandy will qualify for aid. But an appeal process can ensure those affected by the storm will receive all aid to which they are legally eligible.

An applicant has 60 days from the day a determination letter arrives to appeal the FEMA decision.

To file an appeal, write a letter explaining why the decision about the amount or type of assistance received is not correct. The letter should include any documents supporting the applicant’s claim.

The letter should also include:

  • the FEMA Disaster number (DR-4087-CT);
  • the applicant’s FEMA registration number;
  • the last four digits of the applicant’s Social Security number; and
  • the applicant’s name on all pages of the letter.

Additional information is available on Pages 9-11 of the FEMA booklet, “Help after a Disaster: Applicant’s Guide to the Individuals & Households Program.”

The letter must be signed, dated and mailed to:

FEMA

National Processing Service Center
P.O. Box 10055
Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055

Letters may also be faxed to 800-827-8112 with a cover sheet to: Attention – FEMA.

If applicants do not get the assistance they expected, the FEMA appeal process is a way to revisit the survivor’s application and information.

Applicants who do not understand the FEMA determination letter should ask questions via the FEMA helpline, 800-621-3362, or visit a Disaster Recovery Center. For the location of a convenient recovery center, go to: http://go.usa.gov/g2Td.

For a video on filing an appeal: http://go.usa.gov/ggkF

The deadline to register is Dec. 31. Registering for disaster assistance with other agencies or organizations does not register survivors for FEMA disaster assistance. Having FEMA flood insurance does not register policyholders for disaster assistance; flood insurance claims are handled separately.

Register online anytime day or night at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or with a smartphone or other Web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. Register or get questions answered by phone anytime by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362. The TTY number is 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Wait for the English message to finish to reach the multilingual operators.

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Federal Disaster Assistance Includes Right of Appeal

New Jersey Hurricane Survivors Can Register for Disaster Assistance

TRENTON, N.J. — Residents of 10 New Jersey counties who suffered damages from Hurricane Sandy may be eligible for federal disaster assistance as a result of the presidential disaster declaration made Oct. 30, 2012.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) announced jointly that assistance has been made available to residents of Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset and Union counties.

Joint teams of federal, state and local recovery experts have conducted damage assessments across the state. Officials said additional counties may be added to the declaration.

Individual assistance for eligible homeowners and renters can include grants to help pay for rental housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses not met by insurance or other assistance programs.

Homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and some nonprofit organizations can register online anytime at www.disasterassistance.gov, or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), (TTY 800-462-7585). These toll-free telephone numbers will operate 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily. Disaster information and recovery resources are available directly from a smartphone browser at m.fema.gov/.

Registering with FEMA is required for federal disaster aid, even if a person has registered with another disaster relief organization such as the American Red Cross, local officials or churches. Registrants with FEMA must use the name exactly as it appears on their Social Security card. Applicants need to have the following information to register:

  • Social Security number

  • Address of the damaged home or apartment

  • Description of the damage

  • Information about insurance coverage

  • A current contact telephone number

  • An address where the applicant can get mail

  • Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of any financial assistance.

 

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. 

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Original article – 

New Jersey Hurricane Survivors Can Register for Disaster Assistance

Watch Out For Fraudsters

TRENTON, N.J. — As many Garden State residents work to recover from Hurricane Sandy, state and federal officials are warning of a danger lurking around the corner:  phony building contractors and other scam artists could soon appear in your community attempting to take advantage of your vulnerability as a disaster survivor.

There are a few simple steps that you can take to make sure you’re dealing with an honest person. 

Your first and best defense is to know the most common post-disaster fraud practices.

Here are some of the fraudster’s favorites:

Phony housing inspectors: If your home’s damage is visible from the street, you may be especially vulnerable to the phony housing inspector who claims to represent FEMA or the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). You should:

  • Ask to see the inspector’s identification badge if he or she does not offer to show it. A FEMA or SBA shirt or jacket is not proof of someone’s affiliation with the government. All federal employees and contractors carry official, laminated photo identification.

  • Avoid giving bank account numbers to an inspector claiming to be affiliated with the federal government. FEMA inspectors never require banking information.

  • Understand that FEMA housing inspectors verify damage, but do not hire or endorse specific contractors to fix homes or recommend repairs. They also do not determine cost estimates.

Fraudulent building contractors:  Damage visible from the street can also bring out sham contractors who visit your home offering to begin work immediately. They take your money and disappear, leaving behind unfinished work and unsafe homes. 

  • Before hiring a contractor, check with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs at 800-242-5846 to make sure the contractor is registered.

  • Ask for a copy of the contractor’s liability insurance and verify that the policy is valid.

  • All contracts should be in writing, and reviewed before being signed.

Fake offers of state or federal aid: If someone claiming to be from FEMA or the state visits, calls

or emails you asking for your Social Security number, bank account number or other sensitive information, beware. That information could be sold to identity thieves or used to defraud you.

A twist on this scam is the phone or in-person solicitor who promises to speed up the

insurance, disaster assistance or building-permit process. Then there are scam artists who promise

you a disaster grant and ask for large cash deposits or advance payments in full.

Here’s what to do:

  • Provide your Social Security number and banking information only when registering for FEMA assistance, either by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 1-800-462-7585, or going online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via a web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov.   If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services, call 1-800-621-3362.

  • Know that federal and state workers do not solicit or accept money.  FEMA and SBA staff never charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections or help in filling out applications.  If in doubt, do not give out information, and report people claiming to be government workers to local police.

Price Gouging:  Excessive price increases are illegal.  Check with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs at www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov or call 800-242-5846 if you suspect prices are too high.

Charity Scams:  Before donating, be sure to investigate to make sure the organization asking for donations is registered to solicit in New Jersey.  Ask how the money will be used.

For other questions, New Jersey residents can contact the New Jersey Division of Consumer

Affairs office at www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov or by calling 800-242-5846.

 

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. 

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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Watch Out For Fraudsters

Helping Hurricane Isaac Survivors Find Copies of Lost Records for Disaster Recovery

BATON ROUGE, La. – Recovering from a disaster can be a daunting experience, and it can be even more overwhelming when you have lost important records needed for your disaster recovery.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers the following contact information for Louisianians who have to replace important documents that may be required for identification purposes or to show proof of occupancy, such as birth certificates, social security cards, drivers’ licenses, state-issued identification cards, tax bills, deeds, mortgage payment receipts, insurance policies or utility bills:

  • Louisiana Vital Records: For birth, death, marriage or other vital records call the Vital Statistics Records Office at 1-504-593-5100, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or visit http://www.vitalrec.com/la.html for more information.
  • Drivers’ license and/or state-issued identification card: Call the Louisiana Department of Motor Vehicles at 1-225-925-6146, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., or visit http://www.expresslane.org/.
  • Social Security card: Call the U.S. Social Security office at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or visit http://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber for more information.
  • Federal tax records: Call the Internal Revenue Service at 1-800-829-1040, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or visit http://www.irs.gov for more information.

You also can call your local utility company, financial institution or insurance provider and speak with the customer service unit for copies of your most recent records. The utility company should have your most recent utility bill; your bank, credit union or savings and loan should provide you with copies of your bank statements, loan applications and mortgage payment receipts; and your insurance company should have your insurance policies, recent billing statements and cash-value statements.

Survivors can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smartphone at m.fema.gov. They may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

HELPING HURRICANE ISAAC SURVIVORS FIND COPIES OF LOST RECORDS FOR DISASTER RECOVERY

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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Helping Hurricane Isaac Survivors Find Copies of Lost Records for Disaster Recovery

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