Need help after Hurricane Matthew? Check workers’ IDs to be safe

As thousands of disaster workers pour into South Carolina from across the country, state officials have warned that residents affected by Hurricane Matthew should be on the watch to avoid scams.

Folks affected by the hurricane should always ask for proper identification from service providers, according to a news release from the S.C. Emergency Management Division. They should also know that legitimate relief workers will not ask for personal information such as social security numbers, the names of a people’s banks or any other identifying information.

In addition, officials said that anyone who feels unsafe when someone comes onto their property should call 911 for help from local law enforcement.

Residents with questions about ongoing response and recovery operations for Hurricane Matthew should call the South Carolina Public Information Phone System at 1-866-246-0133. Folks can find more information at www.scemd.org from all state agencies that form the S.C. Emergency Response Team. Anyone looking for updates from the emergency management division can find it on Twitter @SCEMD and on Facebook.

This story was originally published October 11, 2016 at 9:15 AM with the headline "Need help after Hurricane Matthew? Check workers’ IDs to be safe."