Thieves stole L.A. wildfire victims’ identities, illegally filed for federal aid
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – A family who lost everything in the Palisades Fire is now battling another kind of trauma after thieves stole their identities and filed a claim with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Judy Zweig’s husband, Stefan, learned about the theft on Jan. 20 while sitting down with a FEMA officer to register for assistance after losing the home they lived in for 30 years, the place they raised their children.
He was informed that someone had already used their identities to register for assistance, though they used a different email address and phone number.
The couple was then forced to file a claim with the agency stating they were victims of identity theft.
Hoping that would at least allow their claim to move forward, Judy took a day off her job as a dental hygienist and went back to the disaster relief center only to learn that their address had been “locked up” until FEMA could resolve their case. Unfortunately, it also meant the Zweigs would not have access to the much needed assistance.
“The FEMA officer who was trying to do my intake said he had seen five cases of fraud. This is a rampant problem that FEMA has, and part of it is because you’re allowed to sign up online, and people who want to commit fraud are getting benefits that people like us so desperately need,” she told The Times.
A spokesperson for the agency backed up Judy’s assertion, telling The Times that identity theft is not uncommon after a natural disaster, though she was unable to say if there has been an increase in fraudulent claims in L.A. County since the fires.
Similar to fraudulent COVID-19 jobless benefit claims, thieves can easily purchase stolen identities, which can include names, addresses, birth dates and social security numbers, and file an online application before a victim with a legitimate need does.
FEMA has 30 days to review a person’s claim that they were a victim of identity theft and fraud and get back to the claimant with an update on the case.
“It just felt like a gut punch. It was so frustrating,” Judy’s husband, Stefan, told The Times. “It was one more hoop to jump through to get any kind of help.”
More information on financial resources for those affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires can be found by following this link.