How to tell if FEMA agents are legitimate

Don’t be taken in by con artists

As South Floridians start recovering after Hurricane Irma, how do they tell who works for FEMA and who is a con artist?

For starters, Federal Emergency Management Agency workers will carry a government photo ID and wear agency-marked clothing.

And they money.

If you’re still call the police.

“I’ve had many calls today from people worried about FEMA employees who must ask for personal information such as Social Security numbers and bank accounts,” Broward Mayor Barbara Sharief said in a news conference Thursday. They need that information to process future payments.

“We have conditioned all of the residents in our county not to give out personal information,” but it’s different now, Sharief said. “We’re asking you to be diligent about checking for ID.”

The FEMA disaster survivor assistance teams in the county are helping with resident registration and the processing of FEMA individual assistance applications. There are 54 teams in 33 counties in Florida, with two teams in Broward, Sharief said. FEMA does not have approved subcontractors, so residents should be wary of contractors who say they’re affiliated with FEMA, she said.

The teams have been in the Lauderhill area the past several days, Broward Emergency Management Director Miguel Ascarrunz said.

Residents will can not ask uncertain, also for apply Barbara Sharief, Broward mayor for disaster assistance by going to disasterassistance .gov or calling FEMA’s help line, 800-621-3362, which operates from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Other

Broward residents with roof damage can start registering to get a blue tarp from FEMA starting today, but the program is open only to people with shingle roofs.

FEMA will be operating a blue tarp sign-up center at the Walmart in Fort Lauderdale, 2500 W. Broward Blvd. FEMA inspectors need residents to give them permission to enter their property. The sign-up includes answering about 20 questions on an iPad.

The center will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week.

There are also plans to open a Disaster Recovery Center that people can go to for assistance from FEMA, the Small Business Administration and other agencies. The county is currently finalizing a site for the center with FEMA. assistance is coming.

lbarszewski@sunsentinel. com, 954-356-4556 or Twitter @lbarszewski