Florida Residents Warned: Beware of Fake FEMA Scams

Residents of Sarasota County, Florida, are being warned about fraudsters posing as FEMA agents in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. The county's Emergency Management Chief, Sandra Tapfumaneyi, cautioned locals about scammers with phony FEMA badges seeking bank details from storm victims. She urged residents, "Don't give out your bank account information to anyone who is knocking on your door." Victims should only share sensitive information via FEMA's official online system.

Tapfumaneyi advised those unsure of a FEMA worker's legitimacy to consult local law enforcement. This scam alert follows Hurricane Milton's landfall in Sarasota as a Category 3 hurricane, which struck the region shortly after Hurricane Helene ravaged parts of Florida and the Southeast, including western North Carolina.

In North Carolina, the response to Hurricane Helene was disrupted when threats against FEMA workers emerged. The work was temporarily halted last weekend after concerns arose regarding a potential militia targeting there. Local authorities detained a suspect believed to be acting independently in connection with these threats. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)