NORTHWEST FLOODING- Looting Reported in Snohomish Area

The local press quotes the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office as reporting looting in a flooded area in the vicinity of Marsh Road and Lowell Larimer Road in the Snohomish area. On Saturday, December 13, a local homeowner reported that on checking on their property they found that items had been stolen and property vandalized. The homeowner was able to contact kayakers who were in the closed area and recovered their property. The Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate this incident.

Securing your property during a natural emergency such as a flood can be difficult. Prior burglary planning and actions can help to secure your property in case you need to leave for your safety. Having deadbolt locks on your exterior doors, locks on your windows, can help secure your home during a natural disaster as well as during more normal times. Security cameras and exterior lighting can also help, especially if your home still has electricity. Having an inventory of your valuables with photos, descriptions, and serial numbers can help recover stolen property. And photos of each of your rooms can show your property in good condition for theft recovery and will help you with your insurance claim.

If you need to evacuate your home during a natural disaster, be sure that your valuables are locked in a safe or locking file cabinet. Also, be sure to include a copy of your property inventory in your Go Bag. And before you leave, lock your house as best you can.

 

My Everett News:

https://myeverettnews.com/2025/12/15/deputies-respond-to-looting-in-flooded-areas-in-snohomish-county/ 

 

KING TV:

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/looters-kayaks-target-flooded-snohomish-farm-historic-flooding-continues/281-3fdd07bc-1cbb-46d6-ace1-0b0dbc85bbe2

 

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/443/Residential-Burglary-PDF

https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/7319

https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/441/Operation-Identification-PDF

 

 

NORTHWEST FLOODING- Recovering Without Getting Scammed

If your property has suffered flood damage, you are faced with cleanup, repairs, insurance claims, etc. You may need financial help and help from contractors to get your life back to what it was before the flood. Recovery after any disaster is a prime time for scammers to pounce.

Scammers can pretend to be anyone claiming to help you,

·         Fake contractors use high pressure tactics, asking for money up front or for insurance payments to be signed over to them. If they do work, it is shoddy. Many times, they take your money and disappear.

·         Scammers can pretend to be from the government, utilities, or insurance companies promising government grants, building permits, help to speed up insurance claims, or help to give you priority to reconnect you to electricity for a fee. Legitimate government, utility, or insurance employees will not ask for funds.

To protect yourself be sure to

·         Prepare in advance. Know what your insurance covers.

·         Before hiring a contractor, check them out. If a contractor shows up unsolicited, check the business name, phone number, and state contractor license number on their vehicle. Look up any contractor you are considering hiring, on the Washington State Labor and Industries web site-  https://www.lni.wa.gov/. You can also check any local business out with the Better Business Bureau at https://www.bbb.org/.

·         Check with your insurer before beginning any repairs to ensure that they will be covered and if the insurer has a preferred contractor.

·         Make sure you are working with genuine insurance agents. Check the license of anyone representing themselves as from an insurance company, including insurance adjusters with the Washington State Insurance Commissioner- https://www.insurance.wa.gov/.

·         Confirm that FEMA representatives are legitimate. FEMA agents do knock on doors to offer assistance. Ask to see their government-issued laminated photo badge.

If you are a victim of fraud while recovering from a disaster contact

·         The FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline- (866) 720-5721

·         FEMA’s Office of the Chief Security Officer- (866) 223-0814 or Tipline@fema.dhs.gov

·         FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center- IC3.gov

·         Washington State Attorney General’s Office- https://www.atg.wa.gov/

Following are resources to help you with your recovery from a flood.

 

Guidance for flood recovery-

 

Snohomish County:

https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/796/Flood-Information-Center

https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/992/Tips---After-a-Flood

 

King County:

https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dnrp/nature-recreation/environment-ecology-conservation/flood-services/be-ready/flood-preparedness

https://flood.kingcounty.gov/

 

Washington State:

https://dfi.wa.gov/flood-resources

 

Ready.gov-

https://www.ready.gov/floods

 

KIRO TV-

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/what-do-if-you-find-mold-your-home-after-flood/2MWFLW6BOBA6DNZEKZKIVD47UY/

 

The Seattle Times:

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/wa-floods-tips-to-keep-you-safe-when-you-return-to-clean-your-property/

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/wa-flood-cleanup-guide-tips-for-safely-cleaning-home-car/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=owned_echobox_tw_m&utm_medium=social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1765721058

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/weather/what-to-do-with-flood-debris-in-western-wa/

 

 Here is more information on avoiding Disaster Scams-

 

AARP:

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/disaster/

 

FEMA:

https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20250807/protect-your-identity-be-alert-fraud-and-scams-after-disaster

https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/myth-or-fact-misinformation-about-fema-disaster-assistance-can-hinder-recovery

https://www.fema.gov/about/offices/security/disaster-fraud

 

Federal Trade Commission:

https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/dealing-weather-emergencies

 

Better Business Bureau:

https://www.bbb.org/all/natural-disasters

 

 

NORTHWEST FLOODING- How to Help Without Getting Scammed

With the flooding going on in parts of the Pacific Northwest, you may feel motivated to donate to a charity to give support to those in need of help.

Local charities probably benefit the best with a monetary donation. Here are ways you can help flood victims in Whatcom, Skagit, and Snohomish counties from The Seattle Times- https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/how-to-help-those-affected-by-wa-floods/.

If you hear about a charity to donate to first check them out with the Washington Secretary of State (SOS). SOS maintains a list of charities registered with it that you can search at: https://www.sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/nonprofits-charities/charities/information-donors.

You can also look for reputable charities at,

·         Better Business Bureau, Give.org- https://give.org/

·         Charity Navigator- https://www.charitynavigator.org/

·         Charity Watch- https://www.charitywatch.org/

·         Candid- https://candid.org/

 

If you hear about a charity that you think you might want to donate to you can also do a web search with the charity’s name and the words “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” or “scam.”

Scammers may pretend to be a charity to collect/take your money and/or collect your personal information. Be wary of unsolicited phone calls or text messages asking for a donation. Two red flags to watch for include,

·         Pressure to give immediately. A legitimate charity will welcome your donation whenever you choose to make it.

·         A request for payment by cash, gift card or wire transfer. These are scammers’ favored payment methods because the money is easy to access and difficult to trace.

If you see an ad, receive a phone call, email, or text message soliciting donations resist the urge to give right away. Take a breath and do a little research before giving.

 

AARP:

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/charity/

 

Federal Trade Commission:

https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2024/11/give-charity-not-scam

 

National Cybersecurity Alliance:

https://www.staysafeonline.org/articles/how-to-avoid-charity-scams