August 19, 2004
Officials with the city of Kissimmee, Fla., are warning residents that Federal Emergency Operation Administration impersonators may be preying on Central Florida storm-damage victims, according to Local 6 News.
The city of Kissimmee has received several reports of individuals impersonating FEMA officials Wednesday.
One of the reports was from a woman who gave her Social Security number and banking information to a man with a clipboard claiming to be with FEMA.
The woman said she was also asked for her tax return for 2003 but she was unable to find it, according to a press release.
The woman later called FEMA and was told that the suspect was not from FEMA.
"We've got reports," FEMA spokesman Mike McCormick said. "But we don't know how prevalent it is."
Local 6 News reported that the cons are reportedly asking for cash as well as personal information.
"Nothing the state does, nothing FEMA does costs money, anybody who asks for money is phony," McCormick said.
If anyone has any concerns about the validity of an official claiming to be from FEMA they are asked to request a FEMA ID from the person and they may call the Kissimmee Police Department at (407) 846.3333.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
http://www.local6.com/money/3663559/detail.html