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Cyber criminals are quick to prey on the misfortune of others. In the aftermath of a disaster, they may try to obtain money or steal personal information by impersonating FEMA, contractors, real estate companies, charitable organizations and more. But armed with some knowledge, you can spot and avoid these attempts rather than taking the bait.
Common Disaster-Related Scams
Charity Scams: During a crisis, people are eager to donate to people in need. Cyber criminals know this and attempt to cash in, pretending to be from charitable organizations seeking donations for disaster relief.
Contractor Scams: After natural disasters, unlicensed contractors and cyber criminals may appear with promises of quick repairs, clean-up, and debris removal. Some may demand upfront payment and not do the work, claim you’ll get a discount but quote outrageous prices, or lack needed skills and leave your home in worse condition than before.
Employment Scams: You may find yourself out of work after a disaster strikes. To trick people looking for honest work, cyber criminals advertise where real employers and job placement firms do. They lie about your chances of getting a job and often ask you to pay before you get one — which is a sure sign of a scam.
FEMA or Government Agencies: Cyber criminals may pretend to be official representatives from FEMA or local government to gain your trust. They may offer disaster relief assistance in exchange for payment or ask for personal or banking details to send funds to you.
Insurance Companies: In the wake of a disaster, cyber criminals recognize that those affected are likely submitting insurance claims for damage done to their homes or vehicles. They may reach out pretending to be an insurance company and ask for more information to finalize your claim.
Rental or Real Estate Agencies: Disasters leave large numbers of people looking for a place to live, whether temporarily or permanently. Some cyber criminals hijack a real rental or real estate listing by changing the contact information and placing a modified listing on another site. Others make up listings for places that aren’t available or don’t exist and try to lure you with the promise of low rent or great amenities.
Tips to Avoid Disaster-Related Scams
Staying vigilant and cautious can help you stay one step ahead of cyber criminals. Remember: If it feels off, trust your instincts!
- Be skeptical of unsolicited outreach and never use contact information provided in suspicious outreach.
- Resist the pressure to act immediately. Do your research before donating to a charity, get estimates from multiple potential contractors, etc.
- Verify a link is legitimate by hovering your cursor over the link to see where it leads.
- Pay attention to inconsistencies in outreach like:
- Poor spelling, grammar, and/or punctuation.
- Unusual or unrecognized sender address/number.
- Reply-to email address different than the sender address.
- Steer clear of people who ask you to use unusual payment methods like gift cards, prepaid debit cards, cryptocurrency, wire or money transfer, or mailing cash.
- If you're still tempted to respond, reach out using information found on an official website or previous legitimate communications.
- Take steps to block unwanted calls and text messages, and report suspicious emails as phishing.
What to Do if You've Been Scammed
If you know or believe you’ve been scammed, don't panic. You can take action to limit the impact and help stop others from being scammed.
Additional Resources