Home repair fraud, price gouging, phony FEMA officials & power crews likely to follow Matthew
Raleigh: Watch out for scams that follow Hurricane Matthew such as scammers impersonating FEMA and power company officials, home repair fraud, charity scams, and price gouging, Attorney General Roy Cooper warned.
“While families and businesses across North Carolina pull together to clean up, a few shameless scammers and con artists will try to use the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew to line their own pockets,” Cooper warned. “If you spot someone trying to rip you off, report it right away.”
Cooper urged North Carolinians to report storm-related scams to the Attorney General’s Office at ncdoj.gov or 1-877-5-NO-SCAM (919-716-6000 if calling from an out-of-state number). If you suspect that someone who shows up at your home is trying to commit fraud, call local law enforcement immediately.
Over the weekend a new scam popped up with consumers reporting phony emails that claimed to come from the power company. The fraudulent emails include a link that promises updated information on power outages but really installs malware on your device. For legitimate update on power outages, call your power company directly.
Scammers collecting upfront payments to fix roofs and remove downed trees and posing as charities and FEMA workers have followed previous storms to North Carolina and are unfortunately likely to happen again.
“Beware of anyone who knocks on your door offering to fix storm damage, especially if they want money up front,” Cooper warned. “If someone contacts you and asks for your personal information, be suspicious, no matter who they claim to be or why they say they need the information.”
Avoid scammers impersonating FEMA officials, power company workers or insurance adjustors:
- Impersonation scams can happen in many ways, including by telephone, emails, text and in person.
- Don’t pay for disaster assistance applications. FEMA does not charge for disaster inspections or help filling out applications for disaster assistance.
- Ask for an official ID. If someone comes to your door claiming to be from the government, the power company, or your insurance company, ask to see their official photo ID. Do not be fooled by hats, clothing or vehicles with logos.
- Do not share personal information with anyone you don’t know who contacts you. Legitimate workers will not ask for your Social Security Number or bank account number. If you do apply for FEMA assistance, you will need to provide some personal information, but until then be wary of requests for it.
- When in doubt, get in touch with FEMA, your power company, or your insurance company at a phone number or website you know to be valid.
- For FEMA, contact local emergency management or other government officials or contact FEMA directly 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), disasterassistance.gov, or m.fema.gov (for mobile devices).
- For your power company or insurance company, use the phone number or website listed on a recent account statement or your insurance, if available, or search for the company’s real website.
Avoid home and auto repair scams that follow storms:
- If the storm damages your property, contact your insurance company first. Some insurance companies require an adjuster’s approval before work can be done. Take pictures and videos of the damage, if possible. Cover holes in your roof or walls with a tarp to prevent additional damage if you can do so safely.
- Don’t pay for work up front. Inspect the work and make sure you’re satisfied before you pay. A small down payment may be required, but don’t pay anything without a written contract. Avoid paying with cash; use a check or a credit card instead.
- Beware of any contractor who tries to rush you or comes to your home to solicit work. If an offer is only good now or never, find someone else to do the work. Seek recommendations from friends, neighbors, co-workers and others who have had work done on their homes.
- Beware those claiming to be FEMA endorsed: FEMA does not certify or approve contractors.
- Get three written estimates, if possible, and compare bids. Check credentials and contact the Attorney General’s Office and the Better Business Bureau to learn about any complaints against the contractor. Ask to get the contractor’s certificate of insurance directly from their insurance company, not from the contractor. Before work begins, get a written contract detailing all work to be performed, costs and a projected completion date.
- For car repairs, shop around and compare written estimates. On major jobs, get a second opinion.
Give wisely if you decide to donate, and avoid scammers who use Hurricane Matthew to make their phony pleas for donations sound legitimate:
- Decide who you want to give to. Instead of responding to solicitations to make a donation, especially from telemarketers who may keep as much as 90 percent of the money they collect, decide which charities you want to support and contact them directly.
- Research charities before you give. Visit give.org to see if national charities meet the standards set by the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, and charitywatch.org for ratings of charities by the American Institute of Philanthropy. Other good sources of information are guidestar.org and charitynavigator.org.
- Avoid charity scams. If a caller refuses to answer your questions about the charity, offers to come to pick up a donation in person or calls you and asks for a credit card, bank account or Social Security number, it may be a scam. To report telemarketing fraud, call the Attorney General’s Office. To check up on a charity, call the Secretary of State’s office toll‑free at (888) 830‑4989 or visit sosnc.gov/CSL.
Watch out for price gouging:
North Carolina’s law against price gouging remains in effect for all 100 counties for all goods and services to prohibit charging unreasonable prices following Hurricane Matthew.
Cooper’s office has received a handful of price gouging complaints related to Hurricane Matthew. Consumers have complained about high prices for hotels, plywood, and generators and continue to complain about potential gas price gouging. The price gouging law protects not only North Carolina consumers but also visitors including people who evacuated here from other states.
Friday the Consumer Protection Division issued a subpoena to a motel in Gastonia that reportedly charged consumers fleeing the storm as much as $300 a night for a room. The office is continuing to investigate gas price gouging related to the pipeline break in September, and has so far subpoenaed 11 gas stations and one gas wholesaler.
Consumers can report suspected price gouging to the Attorney General’s Office at ncdoj.gov or 1-877-5-NO-SCAM (919-716-6000 if calling from an out-of-state number). It is helpful to include photos of receipts or posted prices when possible.
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