Worth Your Time: After the Storm, the Scammers Show Up Before the Insurance Adjuster

The roof is leaking, the power is out, and you are exhausted. Then a friendly man in a FEMA jacket knocks on the door and says he can speed up your claim for a small fee. That jacket proves nothing. Real FEMA staff never charge you a dime.

AARP just updated its guide to disaster fraud, and it earns a spot here because it covers the whole playbook in one place. As one fraud expert in the piece puts it, “Scammers are also first responders.” They arrive while you are still in shock, and they count on you being too tired to check.

The article walks through the usual suspects: fake contractors who want half the money up front and then vanish, “inspectors” who invent roof damage (some have been caught smashing holes to fake hail damage), people posing as FEMA, utility, or insurance workers who ask for a fee, and phony charities that pop up overnight with the storm’s name in their website address. One Wisconsin family lost $30,000 to a contractor with great online reviews who turned out to be a serial scammer using different company names.

The Short Version

• FEMA never asks for money. A real FEMA worker carries a laminated, government-issued photo badge. A shirt or jacket is not ID. Not sure? Call FEMA directly at 800-621-3362.
• Never pay a contractor in full up front, and never sign over your insurance check or your claim rights to them.
• Call your insurance company before any repair work starts.
• Check that any contractor, insurance agent, or adjuster is licensed in your state before you hand over a penny.
• Want to help disaster victims? Give through a charity you already know, or check it first on Charity Navigator or Give.org. Skip the donation links on social media.
• Do your homework now, while the sun is out. Make a short list of trusted local roofers and tree services and keep it somewhere safe.

Targeted? Report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud at 866-720-5721 or justice.gov/disaster-fraud. For support and next steps, call the free AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360.

📄 Read the full article: “How to Avoid Disaster Relief Scams Following Fires, Floods, Hurricanes, and More” — AARP

Jay’s Take

Do this today, before any storm: write down two local contractors you trust and keep the list somewhere you’ll find it. When you’re soaked and exhausted, you won’t have to trust whoever knocks first.

More like this: All Government Impersonation alerts · All Charity Scam alerts

Got a donation request that feels off, especially after a disaster in the news? Our What To Do page — Charity Scam section covers what to do next. Already sent money? Start with the “I Already Paid” steps right away.