Federal money means potential for scam, and if you thought funeral expenses for COVID victims were off-limits, think again. Scammers are going after grieving families of COVID-19 victims, trying to get personal information in order to steal money.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, is offering help with final expenses for those who have died from COVID since January 20, 2020. According to Michigan’s Office of Attorney General, fraudulent calls are being made to people who lost a loved one to COVID, asking them for personal information. FEMA does not initiate the reimbursement, and they never make unsolicited calls.
Attorney General Dana Nessel said, “I’ll say it again: bad actors will do whatever it takes to make a quick buck or steal your personal information and that includes taking advantage of your grief. FEMA will not contact you until you have called their agency or applied for assistance. Anyone who contacts you unsolicited and claims to be a government employee or from FEMA is a scammer.”
Nessel advises to hang up on the callers. If the callers did get personal information, it should be reported to the Office of the Michigan Attorney General.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
