Thursday, May 5, 2011
Scamming During Disaster
Regrettably there are many scams that take place in the midst of disasters that generous people are seeking to help. Here are some precautions to consider.
- Normally, give to charities that you are familiar with and you have supported in the past.
- Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
- Get a receipt, whenever possible, with the name of the charity on it.
- When receiving online requests, only open email attachments from trusted senders.
- Make sure the organization is legitimate. Go directly to the organization’s website and not an alleged link to the site.
- Be very cautious of individuals claiming to collect funds for the needs of a specific family or individual including those claiming to have established special bank accounts.
- Ask what percentage of the gifts will go to the intended purpose.
- Be very cautious of those soliciting money in person, by phone or in emails that allege that they represent fire fighters, law enforcement or other first responders. Many scams exist.
- Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions; this could lead to identity theft.
- Avoid cash donations. Whenever possible, pay with a check or credit card directly to the charity.
- When providing gifts-in-kind of clothing, relief items and other tangible property, make sure that those receiving the items represent a legitimate organization. Some will collect items that are not being provided to the intended users.
- Legitimate nonprofit organizations can found at www.guidestar.org
- For more information on scams can be found at www.LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com.
If you believe you have been a victim of a charity related scheme, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud by telephone at (866) 720-5721, or by fax at (225) 334-4707, or by e-mail at disaster@leo.gov.1
You can also report suspicious e-mail solicitations or fraudulent websites to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov.
You can also report suspicious e-mail solicitations or fraudulent websites to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov.
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