In addition to responding to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in the United States, rescue workers are also battling online misinformation that could discourage survivors from accepting disaster aid.

Some false claims focused on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) payments of $750 for essential supplies.

“BREAKING: Hurricane victims now realize that the $750 from FEMA that Kamala Harris is offering them is actually a loan, not real relief,” Philip Anderson wrote on X on October 4. “And if they do not pay back.” The government can confiscate their property. These people don’t even have any property anymore because of the hurricane.”

Anderson, of Smith County, Texas, pleaded not guilty in connection with his actions on January 6, 2021 at the U.S. Capitol. Its X handle is @VoteHarrisOut.

This narrative also spread on TikTok. In a video that garnered nearly 400,000 views as of October 6, an unidentified man described as a “FEMA inspector” issued a “dire warning.”

“There is a contract and it is at the beginning when the inspector gets there before he starts the inspection,” he said. “If you don’t pay the money back in this contract, it’s a loan. A loan. And even if it’s just a dollar or $750, they have the right to seize all of your property if you don’t pay it back.”

On October 5th, someone shared this TikTok post on

These claims are baseless: FEMA’s assistance payment for essential supplies is not a loan and the agency does not seize property.

“Our ultimate goal is to ensure survivors receive the assistance they deserve and need so they can recover,” said FEMA spokesman Daniel Llargues. “All this noise and misinformation may discourage some people from reaching out to us and asking for help.”

The $750 FEMA Serious Needs Assistance payment is not a loan that must be repaid

FEMA’s Serious Needs Assistance provides a one-time payment of $750 per household to disaster survivors who apply within the first 30 days of the disaster declaration. It is intended to help cover “essential items” and emergency supplies, including “water, food, first aid, breastfeeding supplies, infant formula, diapers, personal care items or fuel for transportation.”

On October 5, Jaclyn Rothenberg, FEMA’s director of public affairs and planning, responded directly to claims that this aid was a loan that had to be paid back.

“That’s not true,” she wrote in response to the Oct. 4 X post. “We are not asking for this money back.”

FEMA also addressed these falsehoods on a website called “Myth vs. Facts: Disaster Relief.”

“myth: FEMA grant money is a loan that I must pay back,” it said. “fact: FEMA disaster assistance is grants that do not have to be repaid.”

Serious Needs Assistance is available to disaster survivors who are U.S. citizens and qualified non-citizens. In order for someone to qualify, their primary residence must be in the disaster region. These people must also apply for help while it is available. And FEMA must be able to confirm applicants’ identities and review receipts to confirm damage to applicants’ homes.

According to FEMA’s website, Serious Needs Assistance is “an initial payment that people can receive” while they wait for the other forms of assistance they may be eligible for.

“While people’s applications continue to be reviewed, they may still receive additional forms of support for other needs, such as support for temporary housing, personal property and home repair costs,” the website says.

In most cases, the grants do not have to be repaid, according to FEMA.

There are exceptions. For example, if someone has insurance that covers temporary housing costs, but asks FEMA for an advance of money to cover those costs while the insurance money is late, “you must pay that money back to FEMA after you receive your insurance statement.” “. FEMA said.

FEMA does not confiscate personal property

On its Rumor Response page, FEMA refuted claims that people applying for FEMA assistance risk having their property seized or confiscated.

“FEMA cannot seize your property or land,” the agency wrote. “By applying for disaster assistance, you are not granting FEMA or the federal government authority or ownership of your property or land.”

Applying for disaster assistance means that a FEMA inspector may be sent to inspect and assess damage to a residence. This is a factor that is reviewed to determine eligibility for various types of disaster assistance, the website says.

The site concluded: “If the results of the inspection determine that your home is uninhabitable, this information will only be used to determine the extent of FEMA assistance you may receive to keep your home safe, sanitary, and functional.” close.”

This falsehood has circulated during previous disasters, including after the destructive and deadly 2023 wildfires on Maui, Hawaii.

FEMA’s Llargues described the process someone might go through when applying for disaster assistance.

“You apply for assistance and tell me there’s five feet of water in your house,” he said. “We will send an inspector there.” That inspector could be a FEMA employee or a contractor. In any case, the inspector charges no fees and there is “no contract,” Llargues said.

“They come to your home, take photos, do inspections, look at the house outside and inside and document everything” and report it back to FEMA, he said. “Based on what (the inspector) saw and his findings, we are giving you some sort of authority.”

Although it’s possible you won’t be eligible for assistance — a decision you can appeal — “there is no FEMA takeover of land, property or homes,” Llargues said. “That’s wrong.”

FEMA encouraged people to do their part to stop the spread of false information by finding “trusted sources of information” and sharing information from those sources and “discouraging others from sharing information from unverified sources.”

Our verdict

An

According to the agency and its spokespeople, FEMA’s one-time $750 relief payments for essential supplies are not loans that need to be paid back. The agency also does not confiscate people’s property.

Rescue workers warn that these unsubstantiated claims only serve to confuse the delivery of aid to those affected by the disaster. We evaluate these claims as INCORRECT.