FEMA May Contact You by Phone

After you apply for disaster assistance, FEMA may call you to obtain, verify or share information. These calls may come from unfamiliar area codes or phone numbers.

FEMA Representatives Calling Arkansas Tornado Survivors

FEMA representatives are reaching out to survivors of the March 31 severe storms and tornadoes that have applied for disaster assistance. Representatives may call for a variety of reasons such as issues with applications (missing documents, insurance settlement paperwork, etc.), follow-up on access and functional needs and/or to schedule inspections at the address where the damage was reported. Representatives may also be calling eligible survivors for the Direct Temporary Housing Program.

In these instances, phone calls may come from unfamiliar area codes or phone numbers. If you receive a phone call from FEMA, don’t share your personal information unless you are sure the person you are talking to is a legitimate FEMA representative.

• If you receive a call from someone stating they are a FEMA representative, but you are skeptical, do not give out any information. Call 800-621-3362 to verify the call is legitimate.
• If you suspect fraud, call the toll-free Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or visit justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

When an applicant calls the Helpline to speak with a FEMA representative, they may be asked to share personal information to verify identity.

How to Apply for FEMA Assistance

If you live in Cross, Lonoke or Pulaski County and haven’t yet applied for FEMA assistance you may still complete an application.

You can visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) to meet face to face with specialists from FEMA to get assistance filling out your application. The Small Business Administration (SBA) and other state and local agencies are also in DRCs to answer questions about disaster assistance and other recovery resources. You may also upload any documents needed for applications at the centers.

You do not have to visit a DRC to apply for assistance. The fastest and easiest way to apply is by visiting disasterassistance.gov/.

If it is not possible to apply in person or online, you can call 800-621-3362. This toll-free telephone line operates from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT seven days a week. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service. Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish).