| Written by Administrator, on 27-10-2007 15:55 |
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The District Attorney's Office sends out a warning to public about potential wildfire charity scams. Here at California Wildfire Stories, our priority is to inform users about possible threats of scams and price gouging.
The District Attorney's Office sends out a warning to public about potential wildfire charity scams. The scams range from insurance adjusters to charity scams. Here at Californiawildfirestories.com, our priority is to inform users about possible threats of scams and price gouging. We do not want any generous person to fall victim to con artists and others who are out to make profit from the wildfires. Keep in mind the types of scams and tips listed below so wildfire victims do not become re-victimized and also when planning on giving donations to wildfire victims and other disasters in the future.
There are several types of scams to be cautious of, below are some:
1. Charity Scams. In charity scams, Con artists solicit "donations" to aid victims and fire aid services. Many charity scams have names that sound similar to long-established charities. Beware of telephone solicitors who are persistent and who do not easily give their name, call back number or who will not send written materials. Also, be cautious of out-of-state organizations whose only contact address is a P.O. Box. For a list of legit charities visit the California Attorney General's Website at http://caag.state.ca.us/charities/. For more tips on giving your money wisely, visit www.charitynavigator.com.
2. Debris-Clearing Scams. Some people come door-to-door offering to remove debris from your property for significant deposits, then disappear with your money.
3. Price Gouging. For your benefit, we would like to inform you on the law about price gouging. After the Governor declares a state of emergency, it is illegal for businesses to increase prices of essential goods and services by more than 10 percent unless they can prove it was due to an increase in the supplier's price. Price gounging after a disaster applies to consumer food and services, goods or services used for emergency cleanup, supplies, medical supplies, home heating oil, building materials, housing, transportation, freight and storage services, and gasoline or other motor fuels. To report price gouging to the Attorney General's Office contact 1-800-952-5225.
4. Homeowners Insurance. Avoid fast home equity loans without knowing who you are doing business with first. Be aware of unscrupulous lenders. Do not have any work done until your home is inspected by your insurance company. For any concerns or if you want to report your insurance company because you feel they are not dealing with your claim properly, you should contact the Department of Insurance Consumer Protection at 1-800-927-HELP.
5. Water Testing.Be wary of fraudulent firms who might try to sell you overpriced or useless water-treatment devices. They will offer to test your water for free and then falsely declare it to be unhealthy.
6. Moving Companies.To find out about licensed moving companies, call the California Public Utilities Commission at 1-800-877-8867.
7. Contractors. To check if a contractor is licensed visit, www.cslb.ca.gov. Contracting without a license during a declared state of emergency is a felony.
8. Looting. During a state of emergency, looting is a second-degree burglary, which is a felony crime punishable by up to three years in state prison.
Information courtesty of CBS 8 News, www.cbs8.com
Last update: 27-10-2007 16:02
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