State insurance regulators and county prosecutors are deploying teams to areas affected by catastrophic fires in Los Angeles County to prevent and prosecute insurance fraudsters who target wildfire survivors.

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and the Los Angeles County District. Atty. Nathan Hochman is partnering to send teams to conduct workshops in the Los Angeles area to help survivors understand their insurance policies and identify fraud by contractors and vendors.

"Scammers are taking advantage of vulnerable times to deceive survivors with false promises and deceptive schemes," Lara said in a statement. "We've seen this happen during past wildfires."

Hochman said in a statement that prosecutors were alert to possible fraud.

"It's impossible to get away with impersonating an insurance company and stealing from wildfire victims," ​​said Hochman. "Our office remains highly vigilant against insurance fraud, and we will relentlessly pursue criminals who seek to take advantage of Los Angeles County fire victims." , and seek the harshest punishment.”

For ten days, fires raged across Los Angeles, burning thousands of acres and razing entire communities.

Since Jan. 7, the Palisades Fire has burned 23,713 acres and destroyed 3,501 structures. The Eaton Fire, which started a few hours later, burned an additional 14,117 acres and destroyed 7,193 structures. At least 27 people have been confirmed dead in the two fires.

Firefighters are still working to fully contain both fires, but some residents have been allowed to return to their homes, many of whom found only ash and rubble.

On Friday, officials announced they would deploy the Department of Insurance's Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to areas affected by the fires. These teams will work with contractor state licensing boards and other agencies to help residents understand their rights and confirm whether contractors and vendors are licensed. Many homeowners begin to deal with the aftermath of damage, including beginning insurance claims and the rebuilding process.

Officials have been warning about possible scams and fraudsters, which are common after natural disasters.

The department has arrested alleged fraudsters in past wildfires, including one who falsely claimed to be an attorney, filed claims and withheld settlement checks, according to the agency.

The department is hosting a two-day workshop for residents in the Santa Monica and Pasadena areas to guide survivors through the insurance policy and claims process.

The Santa Monica event is scheduled for January 18-19 and the Pasadena event is scheduled for January 25-26. Residents can also call 800-927-4357 to schedule a one-on-one appointment with a department specialist.