There is a new scam on the horizon, an email purported to be from the United States Small Business Administration solicitating an offer of Hurricane Relief. The Small Business Administration DOES NOT contact potential businesses or individuals directly. DO NOT RESPOND to any emails that you receive that claims to be from the Small Business Administration or any other government agency.
The scammer starts out by spoofing a legitimate government email address using a mask including Sharon.Gadbois@sba.gov but in reality if you click on the email address or hit reply the response will go to a free email address such as AOL, Google, Outlook, Protomail or Yahoo and NOT the sba.gov address shown. They also add an official looking telephone number, in this case 1-404-606-1280 which is a Verizon Wireless telephone number. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you respond to any email and if you receive a phone call DO NOT SAY ANYTHING, just hang up. In your email you should be able to Right-Click the email address and select Block This Email, for telephone calls log into your telephone provider's website using your account login and under Recent Calls click on the phone number and select Block This Phone Number to permanent stop them from contacting you.
For those living in incorporated cities in Hardee, Highlands and Polk counties contact your local police department and in unincorporated areas contact the local Sheriff's Department to file a report.