10th Judicial Circuit

10th Judicial Circuit, Birmingham Division

Please be wary of predatory, fraudulent schemes at this time. In coordination with the Department of Justice, Attorney General William Barr has directed U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of Coronavirus fraud schemes. U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town today urged the public to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address disaster@leo.gov.

Some examples of these schemes include:

•Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.

•Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

•Malicious websites and apps that appear to share Coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.

• Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.
Medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.

Case Officer Stories:

TinaThornton: A young, single mother impacted by shelter-at-home restrictions found herself slipping into intense conversations with her abusive boyfriend. This mother is intimidated by the conversations and isolation from work colleagues and the support usually found in family. Her Case Officer assessed the severity of her concerns in multiple conversations and encouraged her to use community partners (YWCA). The Case Officer offered to advocate on her behalf for transitional housing for her and her children. The mother is adamant about waiting to see if the situation will improve believe the confrontations were fueled by the shelter-in-place ordinance. The Case Officer shared the impact of children being affected by domestic violence and the long-term effect stress has on the body.  The Case Officer will continue weekly wellness check-ups to determine if other methods are warranted to rescue the client and children from potential abuse. 

Ashley Smith: HFI Case Officer maintains regular contact with families and school representatives via phone and video. Discussions address any needs or hardships families face and link them to necessary resources.  Case Officer remains proactive in brainstorming ways to assist families with a smooth transition to the 20-21 school year. HFI families and school staff have expressed appreciation for the support. Families are adapting well to their new reality, and many report using this time to strengthen the family bond and build positive memories with one another. 

Tameka Richardson: HFI Case Officer received a phone call from a parent to report successful end-of-year grades. The parent was elated that her student has passed all courses. This family had a complicated year because the student was sent to alternative school for behavior. Despite getting in trouble at the base school, being sent to alternative school, and the pandemic, the student was able to overcome these challenges and achieve passing grades.  The parent contributed some of the success to the HFI Case Officer, who kept the family engaged and updated on how to navigate academics during the pandemic. 

Careita Sealie-Allen: HFI Social Worker reports that no one in the households on her case load have tested positive for COVID-19. Social Worker encourages families to take needed safety precautions and keeps them updated on available resources.