I will never understand people who capitalize on other people's misery. It happens far too often: ambulance chasers and corrupt companies that pillage from people's desperation and lack of clear thinking seem to be in abundance. However, there is a special form of vulture that preys upon victims of natural disasters, and for me, this is beyond the pale. The latest rash of this: the victims of the California wildfires. Families who have lost everything and seek assistance are discovering that they have not only lost their identity, but someone else collected the funds they desperately needed to rebuild their lives.
A family who lost everything in the Palisades Fire is now battling another kind of trauma after thieves stole their identities and filed a claim with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Judy Zweig’s husband, Stefan, learned about the theft on Jan. 20 while sitting down with a FEMA officer to register for assistance after losing the home they lived in for 30 years, the place they raised their children.
He was informed that someone had already used their identities to register for assistance, though they used a different email address and phone number.
The couple was then forced to file a claim with the agency stating they were victims of identity theft.