If you applied for disaster assistance, a FEMA inspector may contact you to set up an in- person home inspection. It is important to respond when they try to contact you. Here are ways to identify if a home inspector is a FEMA inspector.
Inspectors must have an ID
- All FEMA personnel will display official identification. Always ask the inspector to show you their official badge, which shows their name and photo. Contract inspectors for FEMA may also carry a badge issued by their employer. It, too, will show their name, photo and possibly, an ID number.
In-person inspection
- An inspection of your home is needed to verify and assess the flood-related damage listed in your application for assistance.
- Your first contact with a home inspector may be via text or phone call.
- Inspectors may send text messages to survivors to arrange an appointment for an inspection, to let you know a time of arrival or to ask directions to your address.
- Keep your appointment. Any delay in an inspection is a delay in the assistance process.
- The inspector will try to reach you three times – on different days and at different times of the day – to schedule your inspection. If the inspector cannot reach you, a letter and/or an e-mail will be sent to the address you provided at the time you applied.
- Completed clean-up or repairs will not affect eligibility for disaster assistance. Documentation or photos from the damage are helpful to have on hand for the inspection, if available.
Other things to keep in mind about FEMA inspectors
- Someone wearing a shirt or jacket that says FEMA does not constitute an official ID.
- While FEMA inspectors have your address from your FEMA disaster assistance application, they may contact you for directions to your property.
- They may use phone calls, text messages and emails; contact information you provided in your FEMA application.
- Inspectors may call from FEMA-issued phones or personal cell phones, and the area codes could be from somewhere outside of your local area.
- They do not request money to complete an inspection and they do not promise that you will receive a grant.
If you return home to find an inspector’s letter on your door, do not disregard it. The letter is part of the inspection process and will have the inspector’s name and contact information. If you applied to FEMA and you expected the inspector to visit, contact the inspector to continue the process. Do not share the inspector’s contact information on social media.
If you find a FEMA inspector’s letter on your door and you did not apply for assistance with FEMA, contact FEMA or the FEMA Fraud Investigations and Inspections Division at 866-223-0814 or email StopFEMAFraud@fema.dhs.gov The FEMA inspector was following FEMA inspection guidelines and protocols. You may contact the inspector directly and explain that you did not apply. The inspector will then report what transpired.
You can verify you have a pending inspection by calling the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 or video relay service (VRS). You can also visit DisasterAssistance.gov and select “Review Status.” You are encouraged to verify your address is correct and to provide specific directions to your property.
If you believe you or someone you know is a victim of a scam or identity theft, report it immediately to your local police or sheriff’s department. You may also contact the FEMA Fraud Investigations and Inspections Division at the phone number or email address listed above.