FEMA officials ask Kentucky residents to watch for fraud and scams following April storms

KENTUCKY (FOX 56) — As communities continue to recover from this year’s flooding, others are looking to take advantage. 

But it comes down to one thing: a government ID badge. 

“That’s the best and only way to identify FEMA personnel as official,” said FEMA public affairs specialist Kim Keblish. 

Otherwise, you could be dealing with someone who’s out to scam you. 

Scammers are supposedly wearing vests with the FEMA logo and knocking on residents’ doors asking about flood damage. It’s something the Elizabethtown Police Department is warning its community about. 

“After every disaster, criminals and con artists try to take advantage of people who are in these really difficult situations,” Keblish added. “They’ll try to steal information about banking or even personally identifying information.”

According to police, the supposed scammers are giving people a fake sheet, asking for sensitive information, including their social security number and bank and insurance information. 

However, Keblish told Fox 56 News that representatives do go door-to-door as part of their disaster survivor assistance. 

“They’re helping to register folks for FEMA assistance and make referrals to other organizations that may be able to provide help towards recovery, and these folks can be identified through their photo ID badge,” explained Keblish. 

She is also asking residents that if you hire a contractor to help with repairs, please make sure that they are verified. You can find licensed contractors here.

According to a FEMA news release, thieves try to apply for FEMA assistance using names, addresses, and social security numbers they have stolen from survivors:

• 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 so, please inform the inspector that you did not apply for FEMA assistance so the inspector can submit a request to stop further processing of the application.
• If you did not apply for assistance but received a letter from FEMA, please call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. The helpline will submit a request to stop any further processing of that application.
• If you do wish to apply for FEMA assistance after stopping an application made in your name without your knowledge, the helpline will assist you in creating a new application.

If you believe you are a victim of a scam, you’re asked to report it to the police or contact the Office of the Attorney General here.