Consumer Alert: Keep an eye out for fake state and federal assistance programs

Friday, November 1, 2024

Many western North Carolina communities are still picking up the pieces after Hurricane Helene. People are vulnerable right now, and unfortunately, not everyone acts honorably. There is a lot of information out there on legitimate state and federal programs available to North Carolinians, but please be sure to take steps to protect yourself from scammers. Unfortunately, our office has heard reports of people pretending to be government officials to steal your personal information, instead of actually helping you. Keep the below tips in mind to avoid state and federal assistance program scammers.

• Federal and local disaster workers do not solicit or accept money. Do not believe anyone who asks you for payment in return for a disaster grant.
• Don’t rely on caller ID to decide if a call is trustworthy. Scammers will use a fake phone number or caller ID spoofing technology to make their calls look legitimate. The caller ID might even show the government agency’s or company’s name. Make sure you verify who you’re speaking with – looking up the legitimate number and calling it back is always a good idea.
• Do not send money or divulge personal information to unknown contacts, even if they say they represent the government. If you’re unsure if someone is a legitimate government official, hang up and contact the government agency directly using a number listed on their website.
• Look for red flags in messages from unfamiliar numbers or email addresses. Errors in spelling or grammar, an email that doesn’t match an agency’s government URL, vague subject lines, or pressure for immediate payment can be indicators that a message is a scam.
• To learn more about the state and federal programs available to you, read Attorney General Josh Stein’s column here. You can also learn more about other resources from our office at www.ncdoj.gov/Helene.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of a scam, file a complaint with our office’s Consumer Protection Division at www.ncdoj.gov/complaint or by phone at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM. You can also file a price gouging complaint with our office at www.ncdoj.gov/pricegouging.