Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Federal emergency officials are warning anyone looking to be reimbursed for damages from last summer's tornadoes and storms to be aware of scam artists who prey on those desperate for help.

FEMA's Darrell Habisch says his agency will never call and ask for a social security number, banking information or money up front.

"FEMA will never ask you for money. This is all grant money. It's your money. We will never ask for it to be repaid," he says.

"Scammers are very smart. They will represent themselves as the good guys, and really all they want is your money."

FEMA workers are on the ground in Michigan, but so are the fraudsters.

"When people knock on your door, trust your gut feeling. If in fact it doesn't feel right, it's probably not," says Habisch. FEMA workers "will have official FEMA, laminated photo ID badges that they will be able to provide for you."

"If they're fly-by-night companies and they want to have 50-percent upfront, or all of the money upfront to buy materials, I would double-check them for sure."

Anyone with questions can call FEMA's disaster fraud hotline: (866) 720-5721, or click on the link below.