Dealing with Weather Emergencies

Extreme weather and natural disasters can occur with little warning, leaving you to make critical decisions when you may feel rushed. The information here will help you spot, avoid, and report scams as you prepare for, deal with, and recover from extreme weather and natural disasters.

Articles

How To Prepare for a Weather Emergency While Avoiding Scams

Advice to help you know what scams look like after a weather emergency, and how to make plans to avoid them.

How To Organize Your Important Papers Before a Disaster Strikes

Advice to help you organize important documents and information and complete a household inventory.

How To Avoid Scams After Weather Emergencies and Natural Disasters

Advice to help you choose a contractor, pay wisely, and handle problems along the way.

How To Get Back on Track After a Weather Emergency

Advice to help you get your finances back on track after a weather emergency.

Share These Resources

Picking Up the Pieces after a Disaster

Use this customizable one-page handout. Add local consumer protection and emergency service contacts, print copies, and distribute them throughout your communities.

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Download the PDF in English

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• Tagalog
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• Vietnamese

Get Hawaii wildfire resource in multiple languages.

Social Media Shareables

Use these social images to share advice about how to avoid scams before and after a weather emergency.

Watch Videos

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Charity Scams After a Disaster
When a natural disaster hits or a tragic event happens, you might be looking for ways to help the people and communities affected. Unfortunately, scammers also are busy trying to take advantage. You want to make sure your money gets in the hands of charities you want to help.

How to Report Fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
This video shows you how to report scams, fraud, and bad business practices to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and why it’s important to do it.

Additional Resources

• Ready.gov
• DisasterAssistance.gov
• FEMA.gov

Did you spot a weather-related scam?

Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov

Related Consumer Alerts

Four ways to avoid scams after a weather-related disaster

February 7, 2025

Recovery scams will follow Hurricane Helene. Here’s how to spot them

October 1, 2024

Do you have an emergency and recovery plan? Get started or update it this National Preparedness Month

August 30, 2024

Protect yourself from scams as you recover from Hurricane Beryl

Hurricane season 2024: How to avoid scams before and after a weather emergency

Spot scammers looking to profit from Midwest tornadoes

Get back on track after the Texas wildfires

Tracking the first winter storms of the year? So are scammers

January 9, 2024

Keep scammers away as you deal with East Coast storm damage

December 19, 2023

Recovering after tornados in Tennessee? Spot the scams

December 11, 2023

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