Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

Residents impacted by the recent earthquakes and severe weather are reminded to stay alert to disaster relief scams. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has recently received reports of a social media scam targeting impacted community members claiming to offer thousands of dollars in relief funds.

As part of this scam, the scammer claims to have received a check for over $12,000 from the “Department of Health and Human Services.” The scammer directs the victim to message a Facebook page claiming to be a “DHHS agent” for more information. The scam then takes the victim through some type of approval process, then the scammer tells the victim they must pay a $450 delivery fee to receive the check.

When natural disasters occur, it is common for some people to try to take advantage of survivors by posing as official disaster aid workers trying to help survivors complete their applications. Scam attempts can be made over the phone, by mail, email, text or in person. Federal and state workers never ask for, or accept, money and always carry identification badges. There is no fee required to apply for, or to get, state or federal disaster assistance.

For updated information regarding Humboldt County’s earthquake recovery, including relief resources, visit humboldtsheriff.org/emergency. Visit humboldtsheriff.org/scams to learn more about some of the common scams reported to the HCSO.