The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been flooded with 270,000 applications from individuals claiming to be homeowners affected by the recent fires in Los Angeles. However, only around 13,000 homes were actually destroyed in the blaze.
A FEMA representative revealed the overwhelming number of claims, a figure that is more than twenty times the amount of eligible applicants, highlighting ongoing concerns about fraudulent submissions, which have persisted well over two months after the fire.
As reported by Breitbart News, many residents who were displaced tried to apply for FEMA assistance, only to discover that someone had already submitted an application using their personal information, including their address, effectively preventing them from gaining access to relief.
While FEMA aims to simplify the process for applying for aid, this ease of access has made it easier for scammers to exploit the system. A FEMA spokesperson explained that this was a primary reason why the application period was set to close at the end of the month, rather than being extended for a full year as Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) had requested.
The issue of identity theft during natural disasters may be alarming, but it is unfortunately not unusual, especially when detailed maps of impacted regions and addresses are readily accessible online. Several people have already been arrested for fraud related to FEMA grants following the L.A. fires, including one individual who is believed to have been engaging in similar fraudulent activities for over 20 years, dating back to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005.
In January, newly appointed Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman had warned that criminals would target L.A. following the fires. Victims of fraud have been advised to reach out to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI/.
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