Disasters can strike anywhere and at any time. Whether it’s a flood, dreadful storm or even a tornado, there can be widespread damage to businesses, homes and the community. Amid the flurry of activity to provide victims with essentials like food, water, clothing and shelter, a fertile environment exists for fraud to occur. Authorities need to be aware of the potential for criminal activity and be prepared to work together to combat it.
The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Office has experience working with disaster stricken communities to establish contractor registration programs to stop fly-by-night “storm chasers” from preying on disaster victims. This program has been a tremendous success in every community that’s implemented it. The materials include model ordinances and registration forms and certificates that can be implemented quickly without “reinventing the wheel” or taking scarce resources from other essential services.
The following is an outline for use by Disaster Fraud Task Forces across Kentucky in establishing an emergency registration program for contractors following a catastrophe. The procedures should be used as a guide but each Task Force should deal with disasters on a case by case basis depending on the type of disaster, extent of damage sustained and resources of the county.
If a disaster strikes your community, feel free to contact the Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Protection for advice or assistance in starting a registration program to prevent disaster fraud. The toll free Consumer Protection Hotline number is 1-888-432-9257.