DOJ Closes National Center for Disaster Fraud
Summary
The Department of Justice announced the closure of the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF), effective March 31, 2026. The center, established in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina, processed over one million disaster fraud complaints during its 20-year operation. The closure is expected to save the Department more than $600,000 annually, reflecting evolved law enforcement capabilities and partners' own dedicated fraud reporting systems.
What changed
The DOJ's Criminal Division determined that NCDF's intake function was no longer the most effective avenue for pursuing disaster fraud following a 2023 program review. Many agency partners now operate their own dedicated hotlines, and advances in data analysis provide investigators with new tools to identify large-scale, multi-district fraud schemes. The closure saves over $600,000 per year.
No compliance actions are required from the public. Victims of disaster fraud should report complaints to the appropriate law enforcement agency based on fraud type, with reporting guidance available at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud. This is an administrative change with no new obligations imposed on regulated entities.
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Press Release
Closing the National Center for Disaster Fraud
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Share For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs 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.
Updated March 31, 2026 Topic Disaster Fraud Components Criminal Division Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section Press Release Number: 26-303
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