WASHINGTON — Through social media and word of mouth, rumors can spread like wildfire through areas facing a natural disaster. In an attempt to debunk the false rumors, and verify accurate ones, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has created a website for storm victims to reference during Hurricane Irma.
The rumors surround taking pets to shelters, cleaning up after a storm and how residents can spot scammers before they give up their personal information or money.
When a natural disaster such as a hurricane strikes, one popular rumor is that all shelters and hotels must allow pets. That is false, according to the website. Only service animals must be accepted.
Another rumor heard after a disaster is that people should wait to clean up until after insurance adjusters or FEMA inspectors come. FEMA said that is false, but storm victims should document the damage by taking lots of photographs of the damage before cleaning up.
After a disaster, scammers emerge in disaster zone. FEMA said a frequently seen scam is people alleging to be FEMA inspectors. Those individuals will try to gather personal information or collect money for inspections.
