June 14, 2021
June marks the start of the Atlantic hurricane season. Louisiana residents know all about hurricanes and the damage they can cause to homes and neighborhoods. The financial impact can be just as bad.
When scammers target people just trying to recover from natural disasters, a bad situation can turn worse really quickly. Here are some tips to help you avoid common post-disaster scams, protect your personal information, and get back on your feet financially.
Avoiding Clean-up & Repair Scams
- Be skeptical of people promising immediate clean-up and debris removal. Some may demand payment up-front for work (that they’ll never do), quote outrageous prices, or lack the skills needed.
- Check them out first. Ask for IDs, licenses and proof of insurance. Make sure local contact info is listed on their trucks. And check with state and local consumer protection offices for complaints.
- Get more than one estimate for the work. And don’t believe any promises that aren’t in writing.
- Never pay in cash. And never make the final payment until the work is done and you’re satisfied with it.
Spotting Imposters
- Guard your personal information. Some scammers pretend to be government officials, safety inspectors or utility workers who say immediate work is required. Ask for IDs. And if anyone asks you for money or your financial information, it’s a scam.
- Know that FEMA doesn’t charge application fees. If someone wants money to help you qualify for FEMA funds, it may be a scam.
- Be wise to rental listing scams. If you’re looking for a place to live, steer clear of people who tell you to wire money or who ask for security deposits or rent before you’ve met or signed a lease.
Getting Back on Your Feet Financially
You may have left home without IDs, checks, credit and debit cards, and other documents. And you might not have access to a bank account or paycheck for a while. Check with your financial institution to see if they have instant issue cards to replace the ones that are lost. All La Cap branches have instant issue machines for debit cards.
Here are some other ideas for what to do next.
Managing Money
- Report lost or stolen credit, ATM, or debit cards to the card issuer as soon as possible. La Cap members can do this online or by calling our Personal Assistances Lines at 800.522.2748 or 225.342.5055. Then open new accounts.
- Contact your employer. Ask if you can keep getting your paycheck and health insurance, and for how long.
- Contact your benefit providers, such as your retirement plan, social services office, Social Security (1-800-772-1213), and the Veterans Benefits Administration (1-800-827-1000). Tell them your new location and find out if benefit payments are available by check, direct deposit, or payment card. The Department of Labor (1-866-4-USA-DOL) works with state and local governments to issue unemployment insurance and other assistance.
Managing Credit
- Get a free copy of your credit report to check for possible fraud or mistakes on your accounts, by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com.
- Contact your creditors, bank, landlord, and utilities. They may be willing to defer your payments or offer extended repayment plans, waive late fees, and postpone collection, repossessions and foreclosures.
Replacing Damaged or Lost Documents
If you lose Here’s where to go to replace these important documents:
- Deeds and recorded real estate documents: County’s Recorder of Deeds
- Mortgages and other credit: Lender or financial company
- Leases: Landlord or financial company
- Insurance policies: Insurance company/agent
- Wills: Attorney. If the will is destroyed, you’ll need another.
- Checks/Savings documents/Investment materials: Bank, investment firm, or broker
- Auto Title/Driver’s License: Secretary of State or Department of Motor Vehicles
- Birth Certificate: Vital Statistics Office in county or city where you were born
- Social Security card: local Social Security Administration Office
- Tax Returns: IRS Center; state comptroller
- Other important documents, like contracts or divorce judgments: Attorney or the court
Be Prepared with La Cap
A hurricane can turn your life upside-down. That’s why being prepared and having a safety plan as well as a financial plan are some of the best things you can do if you haven’t already.
At La Capitol, we see you as a member of our community. We want to give you the means of making the best financial decisions for you and your family because we understand that — in helping you to succeed — we’re helping our entire network thrive and grow. If you’re ready to explore your options to plan and be financially prepared, check out all La Cap has to offer.