The Indiana Attorney General’s office has launched multiple lawsuits and investigations into alleged wrongdoing in communities impacted by flooding and storms.
Attorney General Todd Rokita told reporters at a Wednesday press conference that he launched a series of lawsuits against contractors he believes are overcharging people in crisis.
Rokita described the speedy legal action as a “prophylactic” effort to scare off other potential scammers.
“We are going after you,” Rokita said. “This isn't the end. This isn't the culmination of a bunch of investigative time. This is the beginning of what we're going to file.”
In one case, Rokita said a woman was pressured into spending her entire retirement savings of roughly $40,000 to clear some trees by an out-of-state company.
“Charging an old lady $40,000 to remove a couple of trees, I don't care if they needed a crane or not. In Indiana, that's not $40,000,” Rokita said.
The office is primarily bringing civil cases against contractors, meaning they will primarily seek fines and restitution against alleged bad actors. But Rokita warned his office would not rule out criminal charges that could land scammers in jail.
Residents who believe they have encountered a scammer or have become the victim of fraudulent behavior are encouraged to alert Rokita’s office at IndianaConsumer.com or by calling 1-800-382-5516.
“Come to me with serious licensing issues,” Rokita said. “Come to us, please, with impersonations. Come to us with high-pressure sales tactics. Even if you got them away from your house, call us. Let us know about them, because we act on patterns”
Rokita was joined by Indiana Department of Homeland Security Executive Director Jonathan Whitham and FEMA Assistant Press Secretary Craig Browning.
Whitham told reporters the state has received some 40,000 applications for state assistance, which can range up to $5,000 for immediate repairs for families. He said money should begin going out in the next day or so.
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun also announced that FEMA approved more than $2 million for Hoosier families.
Residents are encouraged to start their applications for federal assistance by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362.
Whitham said the state has started in-person one-stop shops for applying to assistance at several locations across the state. Those locations can be found at in.gov/dhs.
FEMA’s Browning advised residents to ask for ID when approached by someone identifying themselves as being from FEMA, and noted that nobody will ever ask for payment in processing an application.
“FEMA does not charge for that,” Browning said.
He also told residents to alert FEMA if a federal official reaches out to them about their application but they never actually applied for assistance.
“Let them simply know that, because that means that someone has utilized your information to file a fraudulent case with FEMA,” Browning said. “We do see this happen.”
Residents have until October 25 to apply for assistance from the federal government.
Contact Government Reporter Benjamin Thorp at bthorp@wfyi.org
