Scams — McKenzie Rebuilds

Protect yourself from scams.

Scam attempts can be made over the phone, by mail, email, text or in person. Survivors of the Oregon wildfires should be aware of scams and report any suspicious activity or potential fraud from scam artists, identity thieves and other criminals.

When natural disasters occur, it is common for some people to try to take advantage of survivors by posing as official disaster aid workers trying to help survivors complete their applications.

Three important things to know to protect yourself:

Federal and state workers never ask for, or accept, money and always carry identification badges. There is no fee required to apply for, or to get, federal disaster assistance. There is never a fee for FEMA home inspections.
Homeowners will not be reimbursed by FEMA for funds paid to contractors. Some contractors have been known to spread this rumor in order to drum up business.
There are no tests and no payment required at any time for EPA-related cleanup work. Property owners participating in the State-led cleanup process will never be asked to pay for anything up front. The State will also never pressure a property owner to make a decision, so there is time to do research and avoid scams.

If something makes you feel uncomfortable, check with FEMA or local law enforcement to ensure your identity is protected.

Those who question the validity of a contact, or suspect fraud, are encouraged to call the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721. Complaints also may be made by contacting local law enforcement.

FEMA also recommends you monitor your credit report for any accounts or changes you do not recognize. If you discover someone is using your information, you will need to take additional steps, to include filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission through its website IdentityTheft.gov.

Tips to protect against charity scams and a list of registered charitable organizations are available at https://www.doj.state.or.us/charitable-activities/.