Los Angeles Wildfire Victims Targeted by Scammers—Don’t Fall for These Traps!

2025 02 14 - The video covers a special episode of Insurance Hour hosted by Karl Susman focusing on scams and fraud targeting California wildfire victims. Broadcasting from a bunker rather than the studio, Susman details various fraudulent schemes emerging in the wake of the 2025 California wildfires, which he describes as potentially the largest natural disaster in U.S. history. He warns about common scams including fake government assistance offers, fraudulent contractors, price gouging in rental properties (some marking up prices 600% above normal), phony utility bill collections, and storage service scams. Throughout the episode, Susman emphasizes the importance of verification and due diligence, providing practical advice such as checking with the Better Business Bureau and verifying credentials. He repeatedly shares the contact number 559-656-0317 and email address [e-mail] for viewers seeking assistance.

Highlights

Introduction and Overview of Wildfire Scams

Karl Susman opens the show from a bunker, explaining that the episode will focus on common scams targeting wildfire victims. He emphasizes that these fraudulent activities have increased to the point where the California Department of Insurance has established a specific task force to combat them. Viewers are encouraged to report suspicious activity to insurance.ca.gov.

Government Impersonation Scams

Susman details how scammers pose as government officials offering assistance, warning that legitimate government agencies don't proactively reach out with monetary offers. He explains how these fraudsters either collect personal information for identity theft or request 'application fees' and 'expediting fees' for non-existent services.

Contractor and Housing Scams

The host discusses fraudulent contractors requesting blank contracts and upfront deposits, promising priority treatment for larger deposits. He also covers rental property price gouging, with some landlords increasing rates by 300-600%, violating California Penal Code regulations limiting post-disaster increases to 10%.

Storage and Legal Service Scams

Susman warns about fraudulent storage companies offering to collect and store belongings from damaged homes, and fake legal services claiming to represent wildfire victims. He emphasizes the importance of verifying credentials, checking Better Business Bureau listings, and consulting with insurance agents before engaging with any service providers.

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Insurance Hour is hosted by renowned insurance expert Karl Susman. Karl is a frequent guest on television stations such as ABC, CBS, Spectrum, The CW and FOX, and now his popular radio program is available online throughout California and world-wide.

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