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Local leaders are teaming up with the Attorney General’s Office to combat fraud following the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. As with hurricanes, scam artists are likely to be out in full force, trying to swindle locals out of their hard-earned money for services that are not needed, or products that do not work.
Attorney General James “Buddy” Caldwell urged residents to pay attention and warned others that they would be caught for any misdeeds during a press conference at the Government Towers in Houma on Friday. Problems will be dealt with “swiftly and abruptly,” he touted.
Although the Attorney General’s Office will be helping a number of fisherman and small business owners process their claims for lost revenue, “…at the same time we will wear many other hats,” said Caldwell.
The agency will be networking with local municipalities to verify claims, going after those who try to process their claims and cash in at more than one location. “You can’t go to three different sites and pick up the check at each one,” he explained.
To make finding the “crooks” easier, submitting a claim will require a photo i.d., social security number and possibly a fingerprint, steps which are necessary to prevent BP from dishing out more than its fair share of reimbursement and aid, officials said.
Local law enforcement officers will also be looking for other types of illegal activity, like charity and job scams and price gouging that could take advantage of the innocent. Caldwell urged residents to steer clear of charities and companies that ask for money in advance. He also warned of companies that unfairly charge more for things like gasoline and hotels.
Although it is illegal to raise prices during a state of emergency – unless the company or service-provider incurs a spike in the price of doing business – Caldwell said several groups had been found raising the price of boom in surrounding parishes, from about $7 to $30 per foot.
No formal complaints have been filed with the Attorney General’s Office from the Tri-Parish area, but that’s because “we’re doing a good job,” noted Caldwell. In Dulac, however, BP has filed several complaints, which are being investigated in Baton Rouge. And things could be changing closer to home, in a battle that may last months.
“We know we’re going to see a lot of fools. There’s no shortage of fools in the world,” said Caldwell.
Mike Thompson, an investigator for the Attorney General, knows that problems will likely linger. “This is not going to be an overnight matter. We’re in for the long haul,” he explained.
Along with other hired hands, Thompson will be visiting local community centers and other public venues to hand out flyers that warn consumers about fraud, telling them what to look for and what to do if they encounter suspicious activity.
Terrebonne District Attorney Joe Waitz said during Hurricane Katrina, bogus contractors took a lot of money from good people, claiming they had credentials for things like damage certification. “We do not have the time, the energy, or the resources to be chasing fraudulent people,” he told listeners.
Waitz also said his office intends to prosecute anyone found guilty of fraud.
Attorney General James “Buddy” Caldwell talks about fraud with top city officials, warning the public about possible scams and alerting crooks that they will be caught. * Photo by MICHAEL DAVIS
