As California’s fires died down, fraudsters arrived

Heroes first, then zeroes

THE past few months have been difficult for Racelle LaMar, a veterinarian who lives and works in the northern California town of Santa Rosa. First her practice burned to the ground in one of several fires that scorched 245,000 acres (99,000 hectares) of homes and vineyards in the wine region north of San Francisco last October. Then, when she requested aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), things took a curious turn. Someone had already applied for money using her name, address and Social Security number.

America suffered several natural disasters last year. Over the course of a few months, hurricanes devastated parts of Texas, Puerto Rico and Florida, which are home to 8% of the country’s population. As the storms died down, wildfires ignited in the West. In October 43 people died and nearly 9,000 structures were destroyed in northern California. In December the largest fire in modern state history tore through southern...Continue reading

Source: United States http://ift.tt/2C8kDBm

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