Charity Scams After A Hurricane

Hurricane Florence has once again reminded all of us of the dangers of a hurricane. Those of us who were lucky enough to not be hit and want to help with donations need to be alert, so those that are in need will be able to get the benefit of our donations. We need to be aware of how to avoid hurricane relief charity fraud.

After a hurricane hits, people rush to help those in need. If you are making a donation for hurricane relief, remember to give enough thought to where exactly you are sending your money. Because scammers are hoping that generous people like you, in your eagerness to help, won’t do your homework so they can steal that money. The best way to avoid this and other kinds of charity fraud is to go online and do your research to make sure your money goes to a reputable organization.

A good place to start would be at ftc.gov/charity. This site has links to six organizations that can help you check individual charities. Be alert to if the charity is asking for cash, or using a name similar to a well know organization. It might be a good idea to avoid a charity that has sprung up overnight. Also, it might be a good idea to look into the backgrounds and experiences of the founders of the charity.