Avoid Natural Disaster Scams This Hurricane Season

Tracie Eubank on August 29, 2022

LivingPower Newsletter, Sept./Oct. 2022

By Attorney General Josh Stein

The summer months are a great opportunity to get outside and enjoy all the beauty North Carolina has to offer. But summer is also the start of hurricane season, which begins in June and continues through November. We’re predicted to have another busy hurricane season. You should prepare now to protect yourself from severe weather and the scams that follow in its wake. Follow these tips, along with the guidance of your local and state officials, to stay safe this hurricane season and to avoid scams.

Make an emergency plan. Sit down with your family and have a conversation about emergency preparedness. Familiarize yourselves with your town or county’s emergency protocols, such as evacuation routes and the location of crisis shelters. Give special consideration in your plan to those who might need extra care, like small children, elderly family members, or household pets.

Gather must-have documents and supplies. If you need to evacuate, you don’t want to waste time searching your home for essential items. Prepare a disaster kit in advance and be sure that all household members know where to find it. Pack items that would be useful in case of an evacuation such as a change of clothes, a battery-operated flashlight, and bottles of water. Be sure to include important documents (driver’s license, Social Security card, insurance card, mortgage information, bank documents, unpaid bills, and passport) as well as a list of emergency phone numbers. Include the number for our Consumer Protection Division, 1-877-5-NO-SCAM, so that you can report scammers in the midst of a natural disaster. Take and keep updated pictures of your vehicles and your home in case you need to file an insurance claim due to storm damage.

Be on the lookout for price gouging and scams. Scammers often try to capitalize on a hurricane’s destruction. Don’t give out personal information to unknown callers, even if they claim to represent government agencies. If the governor declares a state of emergency, our statewide price gouging law will take effect. This makes it illegal to charge unfair prices during a crisis, and you should report any incidences of price gouging to our office at www.
ncdoj.gov/gouging.

After the storm has passed and you have to repair your home or property, be careful about picking a contractor or business. Look for reviews online, call my office to check for complaints, and shop around by getting written estimates from at least three companies. Read the contract carefully before you sign, and don’t pay the entire agreed-upon amount until the work is completed to your satisfaction.

To learn more about how you can be prepared for this hurricane season, visit readync.gov. If each of us does our part to prepare, we will all be able to recover more quickly when disaster strikes.

Read Other Articles in this Issue

Public Service Loan Forgiveness: Adult Children or Former Colleagues May Benefit

Tracie Eubank on August 29, 2022

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein has shared the following information about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Since our members have adult children or former colleagues who may benefit, we ask that you spread the word in the public servant community about this loan.

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program forgives the remaining balance on federal direct student loans following 120 months of qualifying payments for certain public service employees – including those who work for governments, 501(c)(3) organizations, and other nonprofits providing certain public services, including military service, law enforcement, public education, and public health.

A current, but temporary, PSLF waiver announced by the U.S. Department of Education makes it possible for millions of public service workers to receive credit for past periods of repayment that would otherwise not qualify – thereby reducing or potentially eliminating student loan debt. For example, under the waiver:

  • Past periods of repayment will now count whether or not you made a payment, made that payment on time, for the full amount due, or on a qualifying repayment plan;

  • Borrowers with an FFEL Program loan, Perkins Loan, or other federal student loans can benefit by consolidating their loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan and receive credit for periods of repayment pre-consolidation; and

  • You are eligible for forgiveness, even if you are not employed by a qualifying employer at the time of application.

The deadline to take advantage of this opportunity is currently set for October 31, 2022.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Governmental Retirees Association Hosts NCRGEA Executive Director as Speaker

Tracie Eubank on August 24, 2022

NCRGEA Executive Director, Tim O’Connell, was one of the guest speakers at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Governmental Retirees Association meeting this week. The program agenda also included informative presentations by the Charlotte Metro Police Department and the Charlotte Fire Department.

CMGRA meets the last Tuesday of every other month so if you are a retired public servant, consider joining them at their next meeting!

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