Con artists break flood victims' banking accounts

Hoosier flood victims are being rained on again, this time by con artists posing as relief workers promising aid more quickly than expected.\nThe Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security are working together to warn unsuspecting flood victims about a fraud scheme being perpetrated in Indiana. \nLori Lambert, IDHS public information officer, said individuals eligible for FEMA Disaster Assistance from January flooding in Indiana have received phone calls from people posing as FEMA representatives. She said the individuals then inform the disaster victims they must pay a processing fee to receive their aid and ask for a bank account number to expedite the process. \nLambert was animate in stressing to Hoosiers that FEMA or any other government relief program will never, under any circumstances, charge a fee of any sort for relief. In addition, she said any pertinent personal information like bank account numbers would already be on file. \n"This happens periodically with disasters," said Doug Welty, external affairs officer for FEMA. "We're working with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security to try to get the message out and hopefully prevent further fraudulent activity."\nDespite these efforts, Bloomington Police Department Captain Joe Qualters said criminals like the ones in this fraud scheme are often very difficult to track down. \nHe added that often such con artists are very good about setting up shop just long enough to perpetrate their scheme, then move on to victims in another location. Qualters also said some of these scams are conducted from different states or even different countries, making law enforcement jurisdiction a very important issue between various police agencies. \n"It's easy to catch people in a weak moment," Qualters said. "There are a number of reasons people allow themselves to be swindled -- in this case, it's desperation."\nQualters said schemes like this are being perpetrated continuously. Recently, families in the Indianapolis area were contacted about donating to a fraudulent fund supporting families of police officers who had been killed in the line of duty. \nLieutenant Jerry Minger of the IU Police Department also talked about how bold criminals like this can be, saying they have attempted to rip off the IUPD on a number of occasions.\nQualters and Minger said there are certain ways IU students and Indiana citizens can protect themselves from becoming victims in these frauds.\n"You should never give out any kind of personal information," Minger said. \nMinger also said a great way to protect yourself from fraud if you are unsure of the caller's identity is to ask for the caller's contact information. More often than not, the caller will hang up immediately, passing you over for a less cautious victim, Minger said.\nQualters and Minger also agreed that along with not giving away personal information, Hoosiers should be hesitant to deal with anyone claiming to be from a financial or federal institution over the phone. In the case of the FEMA scam, personal information had already been filed by those seeking aid, and that should have been a red flag of a potential scam. \n"Federal institutions like banks or relief providers won't call you to get information they should already have," Qualters said. \nMinger and Qualters also said local law enforcement agencies are always available to help victims or potential victims. Hoosiers shouldn't hesitate to contact either the IUPD or the BPD for a more thorough investigation of the solicitor.\nAnyone with information regarding the FEMA fraud scheme should contact 1-800-621-FEMA. \n-- Contact Staff Writer Pat Giese at pgiese@indiana.edu.