September 4, 2019

HURRRICANE DORIAN SCAMS

As Hurricane Dorian does damage along the US East Coast, we will remember scammer actions following earlier Hurricane Florence.

Sham charities are likely to follow Hurricane Dorian. They will request donations on behalf of persons who have been injured or damaged without saying who is running the sites or how the funds will be used.

Some sites will claim – without any clear way to verify it – that a certain percentage of donations go to certain groups, like first responders. Other sites will invoke the names of well-recognized groups like the Red Cross but, again, with no easy way to confirm a relationship.

To make sure your donation counts, and to guard against fraud, follow these tips:

*Check out the charity with the Better Business Bureau’s (BBB), Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, or GuideStar.

*Find out if the charity or fundraiser must be registered in your state by contacting the National Association of State Charity Officials. If they should be registered, but they’re not, consider donating through another charity.

*Don’t assume that charity messages posted on social media are legitimate. Research the organization yourself.

*When texting to donate, confirm the number with the source before you donate. The charge will likely show up on your phone bill, but donations are not immediately disbursed to intended beneficiaries.

*If you know the charity is legitimate and you are ready to donate, designate the specific disaster so you can ensure your funds are going to specific disaster relief, rather than a general fund that the charity could use for any of its work.

If you think you’ve donated to a sham charity, report it to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. Your report will help us stop rip-off artists and scammers.

To learn more, go to ftc.gov/charity.

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