Every time I read about this it makes me sick. Once word got out that FEMA was giving away money to anyone who filled out paperwork, everyone and their brother joined in.
This is not shocking. The congressional reps. in the area should be fired on the spot They knew there was no damage. Any adjuster who wrote checks should be fired. Any citizen who accepted money and frauded should be made to refund the $ and fined. None of this will happen and it will business as usual in the next storm.
These lowlife dishonest morons that are filing bogus claims be it Fema or insurance make me sick!!There are people like myself that are STILL awaiting money in order to get the 8 ft wide holes in the ceilings fixed etc while you scumbags are sitting in your cozy untouched by the hurricanes houses with your new tvs, appliances, or whatever you bought with your bogus claims which my be delaying money for the people that really need help! I hope to God each and everyone of you are caught and are penalized!
Fema – has a history of giving away the farm wherever they go. It seems like the most important issue for them is that no local politician make a complaint about them. Afterall it’s not there money. The adjusters who approved these bogus claims?? Who knows what they were told to do? But somebody(s) should be getting their last government paycheck!
I’ve followed this since the Sun-Sentinel broke it over a month ago and so far, have seen nothing done about it.
It is beyond shameful. Not only was Miami-Dade untouched by any of the Hurricanes, but they only had to delay a Miami Dolphins football game from being played for 8 hours to ‘see what the storm would do’. When it obviously didn’t touch them, play ball!
I can not speak for all of Florida, but can post on my Brevard County experience.
Here I sit, Thanksgiving morning. Waiting for a ride to a familys home because my car was made undrivable by the last hurricane. Its sitting underneath a carport that has blown off and where the beams remain.. collapsing. This houses my electrical lines to my home.
I have less then half electrical power throughout my house. Most things dont work. I have no stove, refrigerator, no overhead lights, and 2 lamps.
Water shorted out my main phone line, and the collapsing beams are severing the backup line.
My entire home was flooded. I have no carpet or furniture aside from an office desk and 2 beds.
My Central air unit has major problems, the stand for it is now rusting from setting in water from all the storms, and the blower switch is shorting out.
Mold everywhere that will NOT go away regardless of how much bleech is dumped on it.
Everything leaks, and whenever it rains, i get dirt inside due to seepage
Our entire roof is tarped awaiting roof repairs that desperately need done.
My fences are gone, along with all remaining finances.
Where is FEMA in this? They lost our application once. Never showed up the second time, and the third inspector was angry that we didnt have enough light for him to see..
Fema was here over 2 weeks ago.
We’re still waiting to see if we’re approved or denied (despite massive damage including collapsed ceilings, blown away roofs and flood damage, the majority of people i know were denied!)
But Miami Dade has left wear marks on the sidewalk parading to the check cashing stands.
same cynic here. Dubya assured FL of the $28 Mil for the storm. He also delivered $25 Mil in Oct to NH for having a lower birth rate in unwed teen mothers without trying! go figure…our tax dollars keep rebuilding homes where they shouldnt be built. they also sent millions when NH had an ice storm…my goodness, ice in NH requires FEMA? what next! hold onto your pockets folks.
Although Miami-Dade is the “smoking gun” in this case because it was barely touched by the storms, this type of fraud is widespread throughout the state and a lot more common than we are told. I remember in 1992-93 in the wake of hurricane Andrew, when millions of dollars in claims and hurricane relief were paid to people who filed claims in places such as Tampa, Orlando and even Jacksonville.
Typical government bureaucracy at work, penalizing those who take care of themselves and giving the proceeds to anybody who asks.
I remember the Northridge earthquake in ’94 FEMA came in & started writing $5000 checks-to illegal alien renter families, many shared several families in one apartment. Many promptly went out and got FNM laons to buy new homes, the banks even included state rent subsidies in their loan payments!
The people who inspect FEMA claims are not adjusters, they are independent contractor inspectors,they fill out a form, get some forms signed by the person making the request and turn it in … they do not approve or dis approve any grants … they only do a field inspection… FEMA staff is the break down and the record keeping responsible agency …
This may sound far-fetched, but…. I wonder if Jeb & Dubya had any influence in declaring what areas/counties are considered disaster-struck, thereby making its residents eligible for FEMA funds. Sure would be a nice way to secure some votes if the residents got some free money from the Feds. (before anyone starts accusing me of being a sore-loser-democrat, I can assure that I am not. I’m just your ordinary cynic.)
No one here in Maryland is surprised about this and anyone who reads a newspaper shouldn’t be either.
Our house is demolished thanks to Isabel which occured over 15 months ago.
I want to thank Omaha insurance for the hell they put us through over our flood insurance coverage that we paid for and are still trying to collect.
So, during this happy holiday season, think about all of the torture you put families through and remember that in the end, we all have to answer to a “higher power”. Will greed be your defense?
So we sit for another year in trailers and temporary housing while you collect our premiums and rob us of our coverage.
Enjoy your holidays!
As a contracted FEMA inspector, I must say the Miami thing has more than just me bothered. In speaking with a few other inspectors, we are all appalled at what appears to be happening in Miami Dade. We take this job very seriously, but I think there are a few who might not be up to speed on looking at possible fraud, or perhaps they just didnt understand how serious it was to take a little more time to look for obvious fraud. I can understand that a keystroke error would show ice/snow as a possible cause. I have acidentally done that one myself. There is alos a reason why we list tornado wind for damages outside the home, as this indicates damage caused by wind, rather than by windblown rain which is a category of damage used for interior damages. Its just semantics. FEMA does a great job, as well as the two companies responsible for getting us contract employees into the field. As I said in the Sun-Sentinel article, “we walk a fine line between seeing, and believing…” most of us know enough to flag inspections for possible fraud. Yes, there is some, and those people who attempt to fraud the FEMA system should be severely punished! Good Luck everyone. By the way, the single biggest complaint against the insurance companies while I was down there inspecting was double deductables, and a general lack of caring by the adjusters when it came to visiting the damaged homes. Just thought I’d mention that
we sustained major roof damage thanks to charley, fences blown out to an angle, trees down,shingles and plants through the pool cage, power out 8 days- all food lost. then, a roof leak during francis shorted out the a/c in attic, AND MY INSURANCE company (poe financial) said it would have to meet ANOTHER 3,000 DEDUCTIBLE-BUT since water caused the problem and water was sitting on top of the a/c, then they would consider it flood damage.
YEAH- RIGHT- how could you consider an a/c unit in my attic as flood damage?and just last week i got my new, increased homeowners policy.
meanwhile- my neighbor who had NO DAMAGE from either charley or francis- has committed insurance fraud and gotten more than 10,000$ to fix a roof that was crappy when he bought the house!!!!!!!that sat vacant for several years-you bet i want to report him-so tell me how
AND- my husband is 100% disabled viet nam vet- per veterans administration-
we cant even get help from the veterans administration-
we re-financed last FEB.04 to pay for maintenance, including ROOF REPAIRS.
veterans administration guardian has kept ALL THAT 14,000$ AND never re-imbursed one cent .I have maxed credit cards trying to fix things around here-
and people in miami are getting disaster assistance for what??
It’s digusting isnt it. We’re STILL waiting for fema. Each time we call the helpline to check the status, we’re told it’s still pending. So all the hype over Miami-Dade’s fraud claims has done is give them cash and actual legit people with damages delays. (Two disabled people living here).
There will be absolutely NO Christmas in this falling down house. No money for gifts, no money for feast, no refrig. to store it, no stove to cook it, and no furniture.
I understand we need fema but we also need checks and balances fema paid money to reimburse people who bought generators to the people who could afford to buy them after some of the storms that hit our area we were only witout power for a max of 10 days but the poor people who were hit the hardest and 3 time no less were without power for over 4 weeks and did fema buy generators for them NO!!!!!! if fema buys them for people who can afford them why not buy they for those who truely cant or pick up the ones fema pays for and issue them to the next disater victims.
Thanks for letting me vent
Leah
Fema bought many generators for private individuals. These generators should have been picked up after the emergency and stored for future emergencies. It’s a crying shame that money intended for emergencies are so foolishly given away.
My question is why did the on site adjusters approve and pay these bogus claims?
Every time I read about this it makes me sick. Once word got out that FEMA was giving away money to anyone who filled out paperwork, everyone and their brother joined in.
Yea, those spochoes are all scumbags arnt they? They have no right to be living here anyway.
This is not shocking. The congressional reps. in the area should be fired on the spot They knew there was no damage. Any adjuster who wrote checks should be fired. Any citizen who accepted money and frauded should be made to refund the $ and fined. None of this will happen and it will business as usual in the next storm.
These lowlife dishonest morons that are filing bogus claims be it Fema or insurance make me sick!!There are people like myself that are STILL awaiting money in order to get the 8 ft wide holes in the ceilings fixed etc while you scumbags are sitting in your cozy untouched by the hurricanes houses with your new tvs, appliances, or whatever you bought with your bogus claims which my be delaying money for the people that really need help! I hope to God each and everyone of you are caught and are penalized!
Fema – has a history of giving away the farm wherever they go. It seems like the most important issue for them is that no local politician make a complaint about them. Afterall it’s not there money. The adjusters who approved these bogus claims?? Who knows what they were told to do? But somebody(s) should be getting their last government paycheck!
I’ve followed this since the Sun-Sentinel broke it over a month ago and so far, have seen nothing done about it.
It is beyond shameful. Not only was Miami-Dade untouched by any of the Hurricanes, but they only had to delay a Miami Dolphins football game from being played for 8 hours to ‘see what the storm would do’. When it obviously didn’t touch them, play ball!
I can not speak for all of Florida, but can post on my Brevard County experience.
Here I sit, Thanksgiving morning. Waiting for a ride to a familys home because my car was made undrivable by the last hurricane. Its sitting underneath a carport that has blown off and where the beams remain.. collapsing. This houses my electrical lines to my home.
I have less then half electrical power throughout my house. Most things dont work. I have no stove, refrigerator, no overhead lights, and 2 lamps.
Water shorted out my main phone line, and the collapsing beams are severing the backup line.
My entire home was flooded. I have no carpet or furniture aside from an office desk and 2 beds.
My Central air unit has major problems, the stand for it is now rusting from setting in water from all the storms, and the blower switch is shorting out.
Mold everywhere that will NOT go away regardless of how much bleech is dumped on it.
Everything leaks, and whenever it rains, i get dirt inside due to seepage
Our entire roof is tarped awaiting roof repairs that desperately need done.
My fences are gone, along with all remaining finances.
Where is FEMA in this? They lost our application once. Never showed up the second time, and the third inspector was angry that we didnt have enough light for him to see..
Fema was here over 2 weeks ago.
We’re still waiting to see if we’re approved or denied (despite massive damage including collapsed ceilings, blown away roofs and flood damage, the majority of people i know were denied!)
But Miami Dade has left wear marks on the sidewalk parading to the check cashing stands.
same cynic here. Dubya assured FL of the $28 Mil for the storm. He also delivered $25 Mil in Oct to NH for having a lower birth rate in unwed teen mothers without trying! go figure…our tax dollars keep rebuilding homes where they shouldnt be built. they also sent millions when NH had an ice storm…my goodness, ice in NH requires FEMA? what next! hold onto your pockets folks.
Although Miami-Dade is the “smoking gun” in this case because it was barely touched by the storms, this type of fraud is widespread throughout the state and a lot more common than we are told. I remember in 1992-93 in the wake of hurricane Andrew, when millions of dollars in claims and hurricane relief were paid to people who filed claims in places such as Tampa, Orlando and even Jacksonville.
South Floridians can’t figure out the butterfly ballot but have no touble scamming insurance companies
Typical government bureaucracy at work, penalizing those who take care of themselves and giving the proceeds to anybody who asks.
I remember the Northridge earthquake in ’94 FEMA came in & started writing $5000 checks-to illegal alien renter families, many shared several families in one apartment. Many promptly went out and got FNM laons to buy new homes, the banks even included state rent subsidies in their loan payments!
Ain’t Socialism grand!
The people who inspect FEMA claims are not adjusters, they are independent contractor inspectors,they fill out a form, get some forms signed by the person making the request and turn it in … they do not approve or dis approve any grants … they only do a field inspection… FEMA staff is the break down and the record keeping responsible agency …
This may sound far-fetched, but…. I wonder if Jeb & Dubya had any influence in declaring what areas/counties are considered disaster-struck, thereby making its residents eligible for FEMA funds. Sure would be a nice way to secure some votes if the residents got some free money from the Feds. (before anyone starts accusing me of being a sore-loser-democrat, I can assure that I am not. I’m just your ordinary cynic.)
No one here in Maryland is surprised about this and anyone who reads a newspaper shouldn’t be either.
Our house is demolished thanks to Isabel which occured over 15 months ago.
I want to thank Omaha insurance for the hell they put us through over our flood insurance coverage that we paid for and are still trying to collect.
So, during this happy holiday season, think about all of the torture you put families through and remember that in the end, we all have to answer to a “higher power”. Will greed be your defense?
So we sit for another year in trailers and temporary housing while you collect our premiums and rob us of our coverage.
Enjoy your holidays!
As a contracted FEMA inspector, I must say the Miami thing has more than just me bothered. In speaking with a few other inspectors, we are all appalled at what appears to be happening in Miami Dade. We take this job very seriously, but I think there are a few who might not be up to speed on looking at possible fraud, or perhaps they just didnt understand how serious it was to take a little more time to look for obvious fraud. I can understand that a keystroke error would show ice/snow as a possible cause. I have acidentally done that one myself. There is alos a reason why we list tornado wind for damages outside the home, as this indicates damage caused by wind, rather than by windblown rain which is a category of damage used for interior damages. Its just semantics. FEMA does a great job, as well as the two companies responsible for getting us contract employees into the field. As I said in the Sun-Sentinel article, “we walk a fine line between seeing, and believing…” most of us know enough to flag inspections for possible fraud. Yes, there is some, and those people who attempt to fraud the FEMA system should be severely punished! Good Luck everyone. By the way, the single biggest complaint against the insurance companies while I was down there inspecting was double deductables, and a general lack of caring by the adjusters when it came to visiting the damaged homes. Just thought I’d mention that
we sustained major roof damage thanks to charley, fences blown out to an angle, trees down,shingles and plants through the pool cage, power out 8 days- all food lost. then, a roof leak during francis shorted out the a/c in attic, AND MY INSURANCE company (poe financial) said it would have to meet ANOTHER 3,000 DEDUCTIBLE-BUT since water caused the problem and water was sitting on top of the a/c, then they would consider it flood damage.
YEAH- RIGHT- how could you consider an a/c unit in my attic as flood damage?and just last week i got my new, increased homeowners policy.
meanwhile- my neighbor who had NO DAMAGE from either charley or francis- has committed insurance fraud and gotten more than 10,000$ to fix a roof that was crappy when he bought the house!!!!!!!that sat vacant for several years-you bet i want to report him-so tell me how
AND- my husband is 100% disabled viet nam vet- per veterans administration-
we cant even get help from the veterans administration-
we re-financed last FEB.04 to pay for maintenance, including ROOF REPAIRS.
veterans administration guardian has kept ALL THAT 14,000$ AND never re-imbursed one cent .I have maxed credit cards trying to fix things around here-
and people in miami are getting disaster assistance for what??
It’s digusting isnt it. We’re STILL waiting for fema. Each time we call the helpline to check the status, we’re told it’s still pending. So all the hype over Miami-Dade’s fraud claims has done is give them cash and actual legit people with damages delays. (Two disabled people living here).
There will be absolutely NO Christmas in this falling down house. No money for gifts, no money for feast, no refrig. to store it, no stove to cook it, and no furniture.
Bah humbug Miami Dade & FEMA.
I understand we need fema but we also need checks and balances fema paid money to reimburse people who bought generators to the people who could afford to buy them after some of the storms that hit our area we were only witout power for a max of 10 days but the poor people who were hit the hardest and 3 time no less were without power for over 4 weeks and did fema buy generators for them NO!!!!!! if fema buys them for people who can afford them why not buy they for those who truely cant or pick up the ones fema pays for and issue them to the next disater victims.
Thanks for letting me vent
Leah
Fema bought many generators for private individuals. These generators should have been picked up after the emergency and stored for future emergencies. It’s a crying shame that money intended for emergencies are so foolishly given away.