Scams during emergencies

United States

Disaster aid (FEMA)

• FEMA never charges for disaster assistance, home inspections or help with your application.Anyone who wants a fee to help you qualify for FEMA funds is a scammer. Apply only at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling the FEMA Helpline, 1-800-621-3362.
• A real FEMA inspector wears an official badge, never asks for bank information and never asks for your nine-digit registration number.Ask to see the badge. A FEMA shirt or jacket is not proof.
• Got a FEMA letter or inspector visit, but you never applied?Someone may be using your identity. Tell the inspector and call the FEMA Helpline. See IdentityTheft.gov for the next steps.

Calls from “the government”, “your insurer” or “family”

• Government agencies don’t call, text or message you to ask for money or personal information.Hang up and call the agency on a number you know is real.
• Treat “insurance” calls the same way.Call your insurer on the number on your policy or its official website before you share anything.
• If a family member calls in trouble, call them back on the number you already have.If you can’t reach them, try another relative or a friend. Wire transfers, cryptocurrency and gift cards are warning signs.

Repairs and contractors

• Confirm the contractor’s licence with your state or county, and ask for proof of insurance.Get more than one written estimate.
• Get a written contract with no blank spaces, and read it before you sign.FEMA advises not to pay more than half the cost of repairs in advance. Pay by credit card or check, never in cash, by wire, gift card, payment app or crypto.
• Never sign your insurance check over to a contractor.Don’t rely on a contractor to tell you what your policy covers.

Donations

• Research the charity yourself, especially if the request came through social media.Don’t assume it’s real because a friend shared it.
• Asked to donate by text? Check the number on the charity’s own website first.Don’t use the details in an unexpected text.
• Pay by credit card or check.If a “charity” only takes cash, gift cards, wire transfers or crypto, it’s a scam.

Report it

• Scams, fake charities, impersonators:ReportFraud.ftc.gov or 1-877-FTC-HELP.
• Fraud involving FEMA aid:email StopFEMAFraud@fema.dhs.gov, or call the DHS Office of Inspector General hotline, 1-800-323-8603.
• Online fraud:the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
• Someone at your door, or money already sent:your local police.

The old National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline closed on 31 March 2026, according to the US Department of Justice. Some older pages still list it, so use the contacts above instead.

Continue with “Before the next emergency”

Spain

For residents and visitors in Spain, including English speakers on the Costa del Sol.

Real alerts vs fake ones

• Real ES-Alert warnings are broadcast to every phone in the area.They don’t use your phone number, you don’t need to register, and they arrive with a loud, distinctive sound and the heading “Alerta de Protección Civil”.
• A text asking you to tap a link, install an app or give your details is a reason to stop.Check the news on the official website or app of the agency yourself.

Insurance calls after floods and other disasters

In Spain, damage from floods, earthquakes and similar events is usually paid by the Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros (CCS), as long as you have an insurance policy.

• When you file a CCS claim, you receive a file number (número de expediente) by text or email.You can check your file online with your NIF/NIE and that number, so you don’t have to rely on a caller.
• The CCS pays only the beneficiaries, and always by bank transfer.So a request for a fee or a cash payment to “release” your money is a red flag.
• Not sure a call is real? Call the CCS yourself on 900 222 665 (free, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00).The CCS says its phone line is also available in English and French.

Donations and “refunds”

• Donate only through the bank details published on the organisation’s own official website.Never pay in cryptocurrency or to a stranger’s account.
• Watch for “please send it back” tricks.After the 2024 DANA floods, INCIBE reported a case where a fake “donor” asked a business owner to return a Bizum donation, pretending to be the real donor. Check with the real person on a number you already have before you send anything.

Get help and report it

• Emergencies:112 (free, 24 hours) or Guardia Civil 062 (24 hours).
• Advice on a suspicious call, text or link:INCIBE’s free cybersecurity helpline, 017, WhatsApp 900 116 117 or Telegram @INCIBE017 (8:00 to 23:00). You can also report fraud on INCIBE’s fraud reporting page.
• File a police report:Policía Nacional online at denuncias.policia.es (you then confirm it in person) or at any police or Guardia Civil station. Guardia Civil also takes tips on online crime at ciberdelincuencia@guardiacivil.org.

Continue with “Before the next emergency”