Insurance scammers prey upon survivors

Amid the many feel-good stories about strangers helping strangers in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, a feel-bad story has almost inevitably surfaced: Scammers are using robocalls to try to fleece storm survivors.

The robocalls tell people that their premiums are past due and they must send money immediately or else have their flood insurance canceled.

“That is pure fraud. You should only be taking information from trusted sources,” said Roy Wright, director of the National Flood Insurance Program at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Every natural disaster attracts unscrupulous contractors and outright con artists. They’re like disaster parasites, looking to exploit the pain and confusion of a catastrophe for their own profit.

“They’re storm chasers. We know they’re here. We’re know they’re coming. Scammers,” said Saundra Brown, who handles disaster response for Lone Start Legal Aid in Houston.

She described a typical move by dishonest contractors: They ask a survivor to sign a contract for repairs on a digital tablet, but when printed out, the bid is thousands of dollars higher. Or the survivor may have unwittingly assigned FEMA disaster aid over to the scammer.

“Don’t hire anyone you don’t trust. Always get it in writing. Always get a personal reference. Be hyper-vigilant now,” said Brown, whose organization is contending with its own calamity after an explosion and fire at its office building during the storm.

FEMA has a rumor-control web page. The agency urges people to hang up if they receive a robocall about insurance. “Insurance companies and agents selling flood insurance policies do not use this process to communicate with customers about their flood insurance policies. In fact, if your payment is past due, your insurance company will send you several pieces of mail 90, 60, and 30 days before the policy expires,” FEMA states.

FEMA has also confirmed that there are people who are impersonating federal officials. The agency states that real Homeland Security Investigations officials have badges labeled “special agent,” and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers with Enforcement and Removal Operations have badges saying “ERO Officer.” People should ask to see the badges and credentials when someone visits them claiming to be with these organizations, FEMA said.