November 9, 2020 3:40 a.m.

Staff from the Federal Emergency Management Agency are taking steps to reduce possible fraudulent applications.

Nate Custer said due to increased fraud risks, FEMA is implementing additional internal controls to reduce the impact of potentially fraudulent payments. Custer said applicants who try to register on the internet or a mobile device will be blocked from completing their registration if:

*The applicant is unable to pass the Occupancy or Identity Verification or

*The applicant is a duplicate with other applicants in the same disaster

Applicants in those scenarios will receive a message asking them to review their information and a prompt to try again. If they are unable to complete their application, they will be directed to call FEMA and register for disaster assistance.

Custer said FEMA has awarded $25.35 million to eligible survivors affected by the wildfires in Oregon.