Scammers attempting to defraud farmworkers out of COVID-19 relief payments

Authorities and advocates across California are warning against scammers that are attempting to defraud farm workers out of their COVID-19 direct relief payments.

Local organizations like TODEC and other farmworker organizations are providing $600 payments as a part of the federal government’s attempts to provide relief to those affected by the pandemic through the Farm and Food Workers Relief Grant program. 

According to La Cooperativa, scammers have been posing as farmworker organizations and have been charging individuals to process the otherwise free application. 

Some organizations like Líderes Campesinas, an advocacy group for farm worker women and youth, say that scams like this are nothing new.

“There is certain fraudulent activity...in terms of the USDA farmworker relief funds, we know that nobody should be charged," said Irene de Barraicua, Director of Operations and Communications for Líderes Campesinas.

Barraicua says that some who may be charging a processing fee may not be aware that they are committing fraudulent acts.

“Some people may think they're helping...because nonprofit organizations are too caught up with other administrative issues they have their lines are backed up," Barraicua said.

Regardless, Líderes Campesinas and other advocacy groups are advising people to go directly to the source of these payments for help.

“It's best to work directly with the organizations that are the actual people that are giving out the funds...that are listed on the website of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and not with any outside contractors, says Barraicua.

If one does fall victim to this scam, they can lean on legal advocacy groups for farm workers like the Coachella Valley chapter of California Rural Legal Assistance, or CRLA.

“....we can report it to the city attorney's office or the district attorney's office in that jurisdiction. We can also help them make a consumer complaint against that business with the Office of the Attorney General of California…There's also the potential for them to be able to try to recoup their losses through small claim and handling the matter here locally," said Rosemary Bautista, Directing Attorney of CRLA.