Storm warning: How to spot disaster scammers before they hit your wallet
National Insurance Crime Bureau: Over $9.3 billion lost in 2023 to post-disaster fraud
(InvestigateTV) — Yale Climate Connections reported that weather-related disasters cost Americans $182.7 billion in 2024, some of which was lost to scams and fraud.
Melanie McGovern with the Better Business Bureau said cons are very common after natural disasters.
No matter the disaster—tornado, hurricane, wildfire or more—scammers are never far behind, ready to exploit storm survivors at their most vulnerable.
“Well, what we know is that anytime there’s a natural disaster, folks will show up from either out of town or from somewhere else with the idea to go door to door and offer to do work,” McGovern shared. “A lot of times they’ll inflate their price. It’s not a price that would normally be for an emergency repair. They’ll ask for cash upfront. They’ll say ‘I’m only in town today—I can do the work…or I was driving by and noticed you had some damage.’”
McGovern said while some legitimate contractors do canvass neighborhoods, it’s important to know how to tell the difference between a real business and a storm scammer.
“Ask them questions. Tell them you want to make your decision,” she advised. “You want to check the BBB website. You want to look at their references. A lot of times they will let you do that. They’ll give you that time. You know, if you want to go through your insurance company, things like that. Those are your green flags when it comes to somebody at your door.”
McGovern recommended preparing as much as possible before a storm hits:
Make a list of trusted local contractors, roofers, tree services, window repair, to have on hand in case of an emergency
If property is damaged, take photos and document everything
Call the insurance company as soon as possible
“It’s going to take a little bit of work on people’s parts, like it’s not going to be super easy to, especially if your area has been devastated to find somebody,” she said. “So that’s why it’s always a good idea to have that list in advance of a tree person, a concrete person, a roof person, a window person. Just in case one of those things come up, you can pull out that list and just give them a call right away.”
Also, if someone claims to be from a federal agency like FEMA, ask for identification. They should have a federal badge and be driving a vehicle with government plates.
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