Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.head.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 53]Code Context<?php // if (!$nowrapper) (Globals::$language == 'es') ? include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_global_js_es.html") : include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_global_js.html"); ?>
<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.head.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '230831' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = ' :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }'include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 53 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 53 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.head.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 53]Code Context<?php // if (!$nowrapper) (Globals::$language == 'es') ? include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_global_js_es.html") : include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_global_js.html"); ?>
<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.head.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '230831' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = ' :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }'include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 53 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 53 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.root.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 54]Code Context<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.head.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.resource.root.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '230831' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = ' :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }'include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 54 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 54 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 54]Code Context<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.head.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.resource.root.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '230831' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = ' :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }'include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 54 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 54 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.
Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams.
Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”
The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.
David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”
AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:
Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at aarp.org/pafraud.
This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the AARP Pennsylvania page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1]Code Context$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = falseinclude - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1]Code Context$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = falseinclude - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242]Code Context<?php // if (!$nowrapper) (Globals::$language == 'es') ? include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_footer_es.html") : include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_footer.html"); ?>
<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '230831' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = ' :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/harrisburg-pa/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Harrisburg, PA</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/harrisburg-pa/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242]Code Context<?php // if (!$nowrapper) (Globals::$language == 'es') ? include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_footer_es.html") : include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_footer.html"); ?>
<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '230831' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = ' :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/harrisburg-pa/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Harrisburg, PA</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/harrisburg-pa/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243]Code Context<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '230831' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = ' :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/harrisburg-pa/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Harrisburg, PA</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/harrisburg-pa/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243]Code Context<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '230831' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = ' :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/harrisburg-pa/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Harrisburg, PA</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/harrisburg-pa/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244]Code Contextinclude (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '230831' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = ' :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/harrisburg-pa/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Harrisburg, PA</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/harrisburg-pa/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244]Code Contextinclude (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 09/04/24 by <b>TJ Thiessen</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p><b>Harrisburg, PA – </b>With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come together to rebuild, fraudsters are exploiting the situation to steal money and personal information.<br><br><b>Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://youtu.be/YD66Qqvw3Ow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Fraud Watch Alert on Disaster Scams</b></a></span></span><b>.</b><br><br>Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force, emphasizes the importance of caution. “Scammers see disasters as opportunities. They pose as contractors or government officials, taking advantage of those who need help the most. We must stay informed and cautious.”<br><br>The frequency and financial impact of natural disasters have risen dramatically over the past decades. From 1980 to 1989, 33 natural disasters cost $218 billion. Between 2019 and 2023, 102 disasters incurred costs of $616 billion, with 2023 alone seeing 28 disasters resulting in $95 billion in losses. Alarmingly, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that 10 percent of these losses, approximately $9.3 billion, were due to post-disaster fraud.<br><br>David Kalinoski, AARP Associate State Director, highlights steps to avoid these scams. “Before hiring any contractor, verify their credentials. Legitimate contractors will have proper licensing and insurance. Be wary of unsolicited offers and always check references.”<br><br>AARP Pennsylvania advises the following precautions:<br></p><ul><li><b>Investigate Before Hiring</b>: Verify the contractor’s business name, phone number, and state license number. Check reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer sites.</li><li><b>Verify Government Agents</b>: FEMA and other agencies will not ask for money to conduct inspections or offer assistance. Always request identification and verify their credentials through official channels.</li><li><b>Check Charities</b>: Donate to established charities with a proven track record. Use resources like Charity Navigator or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance to confirm legitimacy.</li></ul><p><b>Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at </b><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="http://www.aarp.org/pafraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>aarp.org/pafraud</b></a></span></span>.<b> </b></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Pennsylvania. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">AARP Pennsylvania</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bbae4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66e7be31bc9a0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-HARRISBURG-PA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Pennsylvania Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-HARRISBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams</title> <meta name="page_title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Harrisburg, PA – With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams." name="description"/> <meta content="AARP, Pennsylvania, Urges, Residents, Guard, Against, Disaster, Relief, Scams" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/pennsylvania/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/aarp-pennsylvania-urges-residents-to-guard-against-disaster-relief-scams-pa-2024-09-04.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="AARP Pennsylvania Urges Residents to Guard Against Disaster Relief Scams"/> <meta property="og:description" content="With the increasing occurrence of natural disasters, AARP Pennsylvania is urging residents to stay vigilant against disaster relief scams. As communities come"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7850dcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x309+0+26/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FYD66Qqvw3Ow%2Fhqdefault.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '230831' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = ' :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/harrisburg-pa/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Harrisburg, PA</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/harrisburg-pa/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/harrisburg-pa/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/harrisburg-pa/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118