TLDR
As hurricane season begins, the FTC reminds consumers that scammers closely follow weather emergencies, preying on stressed families and businesses rushing to prepare or recover. Fraudsters often pose as FEMA officials, insurance...
How it works
As hurricane season begins, the FTC reminds consumers that scammers closely follow weather emergencies, preying on stressed families and businesses rushing to prepare or recover. Fraudsters often pose as FEMA officials, insurance...
Red flags
- : Unsolicited calls or visits from "contractors" demanding full payment up front before any work is done. Pressure to act immediately, share Social Security numbers, or pay via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. Lookalike websites or emails mimicking FEMA, the Red Cross, or local power companies after a storm hits
What to do
- 1: Verify any disaster relief or contractor offer by contacting the organization directly through an official phone number or website. Research contractors through your state attorney genera
Source
ftc-consumer-blog
Source reviewed by Mythos Forensic Team
https://consumer.ftc.gov/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/05/are-you-ready-hurricane-season%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3EFAQ
Is Hurricane Season Alert: How Scammers Exploit Weather Emergencies a real scam pattern?
Yes. Treat the message, call, or payment request as suspicious until you verify it through an official channel.
What are the first warning signs?
: Unsolicited calls or visits from "contractors" demanding full payment up front before any work is done. Pressure to act immediately, share Social Security numbers, or pay via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. Lookalike websites or emails mimicking FEMA, the Red Cross, or local power companies after a storm hits
What should I do first?
: Verify any disaster relief or contractor offer by contacting the organization directly through an official phone number or website. Research contractors through your state attorney genera
Can LegalAudit check my case?
Yes. Start a free chat and paste the message, link, sender, or payment details for triage.