A Florida official is issuing a warning to Hurricane Milton victims about potential scammers who are falsely posing as FEMA workers. Sandra Tapfumaneyi, the Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief, has alerted residents about reports of individuals with fake FEMA badges soliciting financial information from storm victims. These scammers have been approaching residents in the area, asking for bank account details, which Tapfumaneyi emphasised should never be provided. She advised that hurricane victims in need of assistance should only share their information through FEMA’s official online system.
Tapfumaneyi cautioned residents not to disclose their bank details to anyone approaching them, stressing that the mere presence of a person claiming to be from FEMA does not guarantee legitimacy. She also highlighted the importance of not giving cash to anyone asserting they are associated with FEMA. In case of any uncertainty regarding the authenticity of an individual claiming to be a FEMA representative, residents are encouraged to reach out to local authorities for verification.
Hurricane Milton struck Sarasota County as a Category 3 hurricane last week, following closely after Hurricane Helene swept through Florida and other parts of the southeast, including western North Carolina. The incident in North Carolina, where FEMA workers were briefly halted due to concerns that they could be targeted by militia groups during the response to Helene, serves as a reminder of the heightened vigilance required in such situations. Despite one arrest being made in connection to the reports, the individual was identified as acting alone, according to a sheriff’s office statement earlier this week.