BATON ROUGE, LA – With a weather
system heading into the Gulf of Mexico and June 1 marking the start of the 2018
Atlantic Hurricane Season, Attorney General Jeff Landry is reminding Louisiana
citizens that scams often follow natural disasters.
“Unfortunately, our State knows all too well the damage
that can be caused by natural disasters and the con artists trying to profit
off of them,” said General Landry. “So I am encouraging the people of our State
to get informed on signs of potential scams and ways to avoid becoming victims
of them.”
General Landry urges consumers to consider the following
to help avoid common hurricane-related scams:
IDENTITY THEFT: Keep your personal files safe by
putting them in a secure, waterproof location such as a safe deposit box or
home safe.
HOME REPAIR SCAMS: Confirm potential contractors’
credentials with the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors before signing
contracts and paying down payments.
PRICE GOUGING: Report non-verifiable market
fluctuation price increases of goods and services during states of emergency to
your local Sheriff or District Attorney.
PHONY EMERGENCY RESPONSE OFFICIALS: Verify people
posing as government officials or insurance adjusters by asking for proper
identification.
FAKE CHARITIES: Before donating, make sure
charities are legitimate by checking with General Landry’s Charitable
Registration Section at 225-326-6400.
General Landry also encourages all Louisiana residents
to visit www.AGJeffLandry.com/EmergencyPreparedness
for more helpful resources – especially the contact information for the
National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF), who monitors fraud complaints and
assigns them to the appropriate agency for further action. The NCDF Hotline is
866-720-5721.
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