SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is a volunteer attorney who provides free legal services for low income seniors in San Mateo County, California

January 2, 2020

FIRE DISASTER RELIEF SCAMS

FIRE DISASTER RELIEF SCAMS 

Fire disasters such as the recent Australian fires leave many homeowners desperate for help. This creates opportunities for fraudsters to ply their despicable trade of creating phony charities. They take advantage of generous persons who want to help those in need.

Be wary of “ charities” that spring up suddenly in response to current events and natural disasters.  

To check if the charity is trustworthy, you can contact the Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, GuideStar or ftc.gov/charityfraud.

You can also check with the National Association of State Charity Officials. Legitimate charities are required to be on file with your state.

Guard against charity scams.

To guard against a disaster related scam, there are several protective steps you can take:

*Donate to only trusted, well-known charities.

*Verify all phone numbers for charities. If you need to contact a charity by phone, verify through the charity’s official website that the number you have is legitimate.

*Do not open suspicious emails.

 *Do not click on any links or open any attachments

*Be skeptical of social media posts.

*Watch out for scammers impersonating federal, state, tribal and municipal authorities

If you need to report other fraudulent activities during or following a natural disaster, please notify the Federal Emergency Managements Agency at 1-866-720-5721, or disaster@leo.gov. You can also notify the Federal Trade Commission http://www.ftc.gov.

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