Table of Contents
Disability Rights Texas Handout
To request this handout in ASL, Braille, or as an audio file, contact us.
Texas Winter Storm Recovery Resources – Avoid Scams and Fraud
The Texas Winter Storm Recovery Resources includes information and resources designed to help Texans recover from the storm.
How to Avoid Scams and Fraud
If you apply for assistance, the process will take some time, so in the meantime please be careful of people and groups posing as an official assistance agency that try to get your personal information such as social security number and other confidential data. Unfortunately, there are many scammers who try to take advantage of people after disasters. Visit the FEMA website for information on recognizing fraud and scams. You can file a complaint against consumer fraud on the Texas Attorney General website.
Additional resources:
- How to Avoid Home Repair Fraud in the Wake of Disaster (Lone Star Legal Aid)
- 4 Ways to Avoid Contractor Scams (Texas Department of Insurance)
- Preventing fraud after a storm: a toolkit for city and county officials (Texas Department of Insurance)
Who Can I Trust?
Trusted sources for assistance include:
- FEMA,
- the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA),
- the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),
- the Texas Emergency Management Department, and
- recovery efforts through local government housing or emergency management departments.
www.DRTx.org
Statewide Intake: 1-800-252-9108
Sign Language Video Phone: 1-866-362-2851
Purple 2 Video Phone: 512-271-9391
Online Intake available 24/7: intake.DRTx.org
Disclaimer: Disability Rights Texas strives to update its materials on an annual basis, and this handout is based upon the law at the time it was written. The law changes frequently and is subject to various interpretations by different courts. Future changes in the law may make some information in this handout inaccurate.
The handout is not intended to and does not replace an attorney’s advice or assistance based on your particular situation.