[news] fakers; Posing As Hurricane Victim

[Hellfighter]

man i hope these freaks get the max

September 16th, 2005 07:18 PM EDT
Arkansas Sheriff Charges Two Posing as Hurricane Refugees

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ASH FLAT, Ark. (AP) -- A couple traveling through Arkansas have been arrested for posing as Hurricane Katrina refugees after deciding to apply for assistance because they were low on money, Sharp County officials said Friday.

Sean Michael Sparks, 19, of Columbus, Ohio, and Renee L. Older, 35 of Winter Park, Fla., are charged with theft by deception, a felony, for claiming the storm had displaced them from their home in New Orleans.

Salvation Army volunteers running a relief effort at the Ash Flat Church of Christ became suspicious when Older arrived providing a Florida driver's license, but her vehicle had an Ohio license plate, Sharp County Sheriff Dale Weaver said. They had also given their home address as 4858 Annunciation, New Orleans, he said.

Weaver said the two gained assistance for motel rooms, medical treatment, prescription drugs and clothing from the Salvation Army. The benefits totaled $1,047.40.

The two were taken to Sharp County jail, and bond was set for $5,000 each.

On Wednesday, Kent Gray, 26, of Benton, and Monica Gray, 28, of Little Rock were charged with falsely claiming they were victims of the hurricane when they couldn't provide a postal ZIP code in their supposed hometown to relief workers in Benton.

Source: http://www.officer.com/article/artic...on=15&id=25942

September 12th, 2005 09:49 AM EDT
Tennessee Woman Arrested After Posing As Hurricane Victim, Police Say

ASSOCIATED PRESS

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- A Memphis woman has been charged with forgery and attempted theft after trying to collect more than $1,500 in Hurricane Katrina relief money, police say.

Emma Hill, 31, told a worker at an American Red Cross hurricane relief center in Memphis Friday that she lived in Gulfport, Miss., and had lost everything in the hurricane, according to the charges.

However, when she returned Saturday to pick up a $1,565 check, Hill gave an address in Mississippi that was different from the first one. Workers grew suspicious and called over a Memphis police officer stationed at the center.

Police say they discovered Hill had an outstanding warrant on charges of passing bad checks. And they found she had a Tennessee driver's license with a Memphis address and that she paid the utility bills at that address.

Hill also had with her a dated Western Union receipt for money she sent from a Memphis office on Aug. 28.

Police believe Hill may be the first person charged in Memphis with posing as a hurricane victim.

Evacuees staying in the city have become frequent crime targets. It appears some criminals have been out looking for Louisiana license plates and many victims have had their vehicles taken, along with thousands of dollars in cash and valuables, say police, who report at least 56 evacuees have been targeted by criminals.

Sunday police said they were questioning two men with questionable identifications, who turned up at another Red Cross hurricane relief center in the city.

''We will prosecute to the fullest ... we are not going to mess around,'' said Mid-South Red Cross CEO William Hildebrandt. ''We will make sure every donated dollar goes where it's supposed to go.''

Source: http://www.officer.com/article/artic...ion=1&id=25847

[Lucky]

how far people go to get money