Today, the Justice Department announced the closure of the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF), effective March 31, 2026. The NCDF was established in the fall of 2005 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to coordinate disaster fraud complaints from victims across the country. Since its founding, the NCDF processed more than a million complaints, and served as a national hub for disaster fraud referrals to federal, state, and local law enforcement.
Over the past two decades, the law enforcement landscape has evolved significantly. Following a 2023 program review, the Criminal Division determined that the NCDF’s intake function was no longer the most effective avenue for pursuing disaster fraud. Many of the NCDF’s original agency partners now operate their own dedicated hotlines, and advances in data analysis have given federal investigators powerful new tools to identify and pursue fraud at scale – particularly the large, multi-district schemes that represent the highest enforcement priorities. This closure will save the Department more than $600,000 per year.
Fraud targeting Americans in their most vulnerable moments, whether following natural disasters or during public health crises, is a serious federal crime that the Department of Justice will continue to investigate and prosecute vigorously. Victims of disaster fraud should report their complaints to the appropriate law enforcement agency based on the type of fraud. Reporting information can be found at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.
