Hoax posts offer US federal aid for contaminated water
- Published on March 26, 2024 at 18:33
- Updated on March 26, 2024 at 19:55
- 2 min read
- By AFP USA
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"If your address falls in the list if contaminated water you qualify for FEMA. Hurry & fill out the application for FEMA assistance so you can get that $1000 check next week!!!" says a March 21, 2023 Facebook post sharing a map of Rochester, New York.
The same offer has spread in multiple Facebook posts, accumulating hundreds of shares.
But rather than linking to a government aid application, the posts redirect to a photo of a gorilla making an offensive gesture.
Content warning
While some of the posts were shared in jest, comments indicate several users thought the offer was valid.
"The rumor that people can fill out an application for assistance and receive (a) $1,000 check next week is a false claim," a FEMA spokesperson told AFP in a March 26 email.
If flood waters contaminate a well, FEMA advises residents to contact their local health department to obtain proof and then submit it to the federal agency for potential financial assistance (archived here).
For addresses served by public systems, water is tested and results are reported to federal, state or tribal agencies to ensure it meets standards. Many systems also provide customers with an annual consumer confidence report on water quality.
FEMA warns disaster survivors to be cautious of scams and rumors. The agency encourages reporting all potential fraud to its Disaster Fraud Hotline.
This article was updated to add comment from FEMA.March 26, 2024 This article was updated to add comment from FEMA.
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