Restore LA Program Warns of Scams
Amy Fennell • November 13, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Restore La. Program Warns of Scams Asking for Private Information
BATON ROUGE, La. – Gov. John Bel Edwards’ Office of Community Development warns residents of telephone scams in which callers ask flood-impacted families to provide private information like bank account numbers or make a financial deposit to complete their applications for assistance. These calls are fraudulent attempts to obtain personal information.
If program applicants have doubts about the authenticity of a phone call or email, they should immediately contact the Restore Louisiana Homeowner Assistance Program at (866) 735-2001 or info@restore-la.org. Program staff will then help applicants verify whether the call came from a program representative and report the call if needed.
When calling applicants, Restore Louisiana staff will confirm who they are by referring to the applicant’s survey account number. Applicants are encouraged to compare this number to their own survey account number before giving out any personal information. It is important to note that the program does not ask for any banking information, including account numbers or a deposit, or a social security number by phone.
Likewise, the Restore Louisiana Homeowner Assistance Program emails applicants only from official program accounts, such as info@restore-la.org. Before responding to any email claiming to be sent from the program, applicants are encouraged to carefully check the sender’s address in order to verify the email’s authenticity.
About the Restore Louisiana Task Force
The Restore Louisiana Task Force comprises 21 individuals from throughout the state who were appointed by Gov. John Bel Edwards to oversee the rebuilding process after historic flooding in March and August 2016 impacted 51 disaster-declared parishes. The Task Force’s mission is divided into six categories: community planning, economic, health and social services, housing, infrastructure and natural and cultural resources. All task force documents are available at http://restore.la.gov/resources/. For more information, visit restore.la.gov.
Take advantage of safety training and other resources provided by your local REALTOR® Association in Louisiana.
Construction Update: Act Nos. 239 and 422 Eric Landry, Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, L.L.P. Louisiana REALTORS® Counsel
NAR is pleased to share the latest consumer guide focused on how the VA Home Loan offers a great path to homeownership for current and former military service members. As a reminder, all guides in this series are available for download—in both English and Spanish—on facts.realtor . Please allow a few days for the Spanish version of the latest resource to be translated and uploaded. For ease of reference, below is a list of the most recent guides: NEW: What Is the VA Home Loan Guaranty? 10 Tips for Packing Smartly for a Move State and Local Tax (SALT) Deductions Buying a Historic Property Making Your Home More Energy Efficient Working with a Real Estate Attorney Thank you for your continued engagement with the “Consumer Guide” series and for sharing the resources with prospective clients to ensure they have the information they need to find success in their homebuying or selling journey. Remember that these guides are for informational purposes only and are not meant to enact or change any existing NAR policy. Be on the lookout for the next consumer guide, which outlines requirements for private mortgage insurance and how it protects lenders and consumers.
