{"id":99780,"date":"2026-08-28T05:50:47","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T09:50:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?p=99780"},"modified":"2026-07-30T05:53:23","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T09:53:23","slug":"fraud-watch-credit-repair-scams-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-5-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?p=99780","title":{"rendered":"Fraud Watch- Natural Disasters"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aarp.org\/money\/scams-fraud\/latest-amazon-impostor-scams\/\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"209\" data-attachment-id=\"98165\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?attachment_id=98165\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/A-Rapid-Resource-Logo-Blue.jpg?fit=1516%2C1056&amp;ssl=1&amp;ver=1778240526\" data-orig-size=\"1516,1056\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"A Rapid Resource Logo Blue\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/A-Rapid-Resource-Logo-Blue.jpg?fit=840%2C585&amp;ssl=1&amp;ver=1778240526\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/A-Rapid-Resource-Logo-Blue-300x209.jpg?resize=300%2C209&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-98165\" style=\"width:300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/A-Rapid-Resource-Logo-Blue.jpg?resize=300%2C209&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/A-Rapid-Resource-Logo-Blue.jpg?resize=1024%2C713&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/A-Rapid-Resource-Logo-Blue.jpg?resize=768%2C535&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/A-Rapid-Resource-Logo-Blue.jpg?resize=1200%2C836&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/A-Rapid-Resource-Logo-Blue.jpg?w=1516&amp;ssl=1 1516w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reprinted with permission from AARP&#8217;s Fraud Watch Network.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The aftermath of natural disasters is stressful, overwhelming, and anxiety-provoking. These emotions are what fraud criminals thrive on. They may show up in your neighborhood with a work truck and claim they can help with your damage and ask for payment upfront, only to never return. They may seek to impersonate utility companies, offering quick reconnection for an upfront fee. Or they impersonate FEMA or an insurance adjustor. The common denominator involves paying for something on the spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">FEMA agents never seek payment when providing post-disaster support. As tempting as it may be to cut to the front of the line on getting your electricity back or make a deal with a construction company right away, give yourself time to pause and think about the scenario before committing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fe48e5de wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-dark-gray-color has-yellow-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-small-font-size has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aarp.org\/money\/scams-fraud\/disaster\/?msockid=16ac2c56e530604a10443b31e4d0611b\" style=\"border-radius:50px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">More Topic Resources<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aarp.org\/fraudwatchnetwork\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">aarp.org\/fraudwatchnetwork<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-separator uagb-block-6c6a120f\"><div class=\"uagb-separator-spacing-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-uagb-separator__inner\" style=\"--my-background-image:\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-info-box uagb-block-8433a68b uagb-infobox__content-wrap  uagb-infobox-icon-above-title uagb-infobox-image-valign-top\"><div class=\"uagb-ifb-content\"><div class=\"uagb-ifb-title-wrap\"><h2 class=\"uagb-ifb-title\"> AARP Fraud Watch Network<\/h2><\/div><p class=\"uagb-ifb-desc\">Need a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aarp.org\/forms\/me-speakers-bureau-request-form.html?testing=fdsafdsa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">scam prevention speaker<\/a> for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email <a href=\"mailto:me@aarp.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">me@aarp.org<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Share this news!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fe48e5de wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-font-size is-style-outline has-small-font-size is-style-outline--2\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-dark-gray-color has-yellow-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\">Subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The aftermath of natural disasters is stressful, overwhelming, and anxiety-provoking. These emotions are what fraud criminals thrive on. They may show up in your neighborhood with a work truck and claim they can help with your damage and ask for payment upfront, only to never return. They may seek to impersonate utility companies, offering quick &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?p=99780\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Fraud Watch- Natural Disasters&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2122,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4,218],"tags":[508,506,272,507],"post_folder":[696],"class_list":["post-99780","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-community-service","category-resources-for-granges-and-grangers","tag-aarp-fraud-watch","tag-fraud-alert","tag-grange-communication","tag-scam-alert"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"post-thumbnail":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Walter Boomsma","author_link":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?author=2122"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"The aftermath of natural disasters is stressful, overwhelming, and anxiety-provoking. These emotions are what fraud criminals thrive on. They may show up in your neighborhood with a work truck and claim they can help with your damage and ask for payment upfront, only to never return. They may seek to impersonate utility companies, offering quick&hellip;","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1arC1-pXm","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99780","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2122"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=99780"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99780\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99782,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99780\/revisions\/99782"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=99780"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=99780"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=99780"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fpost_folder&post=99780"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}