COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) cautions Pettis County survivors of the recent tornado to be on the lookout for scam artists pretending to be employed by FEMA or another government agency, such as the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
"Consumers should keep in mind that a FEMA or SBA shirt or jacket is not absolute proof of someone's affiliation with these agencies," said FEMA's Federal Coordinating Officer Libby Turner. "The best way to verify authorized FEMA or SBA personnel is by checking their laminated photo identification card, which they are required to wear at all times."
One common scheme involves con artists going door-to-door in neighborhoods of damaged homes, or phoning victims, and soliciting personal information such as social security and bank account numbers. Consumers should know that FEMA inspectors never require this information. A Social Security or bank account number is requested during the first phone call to the FEMA registration line. On any follow-up calls, a FEMA representative may ask for the last four digits of your Social Security number but never the whole number.
Full story:
http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=55984
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