Fighting Fraud
By Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland
According to a statement made earlier this year by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over 60% of the United States population has been infected by the COVID-19 virus and approximately 63% of the Ohio population is fully vaccinated. While the dangers of COVID-related illness are not over, the initial fear has subsided for many area seniors.
However, the risk of COVID infection in older individuals and those who are immunocompromised is still a concern, and deaths from the illness are still being recorded. Over 7,000 individuals have died from COVID since the beginning of the year. If you have lost a loved one to COVID-19 and incurred funeral-related expenses, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a government relief program that reimburses up to $9,000 of those costs. Before the program was even officially kicked off, FEMA said it had reports of scammers targeting consumers and “offering” to register them for assistance. Scammers have continued contacting consumers by text, phone, and email attempting to get registration fees or obtain personal confidential information including bank accounts and Social Security numbers.
The only way to register for the program is to contact FEMA on their toll-free number at 844-684-6333. No online applications will be accepted and FEMA will not contact individuals regarding the program unless they have already requested assistance.
Additionally, these agencies also do not require any payment from consumers to receive financial help. Anyone who receives an unsolicited call should report it immediately to the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, at the National Center for Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or on the FTC’s website at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Consumers can also file a Scam Tracker with Better Business Bureau at BBB.org/ScamTracker.
Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland offers this advice for seniors looking to steer clear of funeral scams.
- Guard Personal Information – Do not provide your — or a loved one’s — Social Security number, bank account information, birth date or other private information to strangers or unsolicited callers.
- Be Wary of Unsolicited Calls – Government agencies, including the FTC and FEMA, will not contact individuals unless they have already contacted the agency or applied for a benefits program.
- Know Your Rights When Planning a Funeral – The FTC Funeral Rule protects consumers by establishing legal guidelines for providers of funeral services to follow. If a consumer is planning a funeral, regardless of whether it is being planned in advance or when a death occurs, they should review the FTC’s guidelines for shopping for a funeral to see the rights they have.
Questions? Reach out to your BBB at 216.241.7678 or [email protected]. Have a scam to report? Report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker. For more news and tips visit BBB.org.
