Natural Disaster Relief Scam: Preying on Good People

It’s sad to admit, but unfortunately there are people out there who try to take advantage of not only the tragedies of others, but also the people who reach out to help those in need. The most representative of these opportunistic scammers try to lure good-hearted people to give money to charities when they are in fact, filling their own pockets.

There are two types of natural disaster scams.  They aim for the same goal of stealing your money, but employ different means to achieve their purpose.

Disaster Victim Relief Scams

The basic scam method is simple: they ask for money, which will be used to help victims.

Here are some common characteristics to be on the lookout for:

1. They strike while the topic is hot in people’s minds.

2. They start by asking for small sums of money to “help someone in need,” which often snowballs into greater amounts because of “unforeseen circumstances.”

3. They offer to locate loved ones who remain missing for a fee.

4. They can come from the victim, a foreign government asking for help, or from organizations that purport to be helping the victims of the disaster.

5. They use “official sounding” names as their organizations.

6. They ask for personal information.

7. They ask for money to be deposited into foreign banking institutions.

Other Natural Disaster Related Scams

This scam employs a different method, but aims for the same thing- to take advantage of people who are willing to help victims of the disaster.

Here is how it works:

1. Scammers set up virus-laden sites that show up when people search for “tsunami,” “earthquake,” “disaster,” etc.

2. People click on the sites, thinking that they are legitimate and will contain accurate information about the disaster.

3. Contrary to this, clicking on the site activates a pop-up window that tries to scare people into believing that they have a badly infected PC and must pay to have it removed.

Tips to Donate to Relief Funds Safely

1. Be cautious of people professing to be surviving victims, or government officials asking for assistance.

2. Do not click on links or open emails that have natural disaster images or videos attached – these could contain computer viruses.

3. Do not send money to charities or organizations that you are not familiar with.

4. Beware of charities with names that are similar to well known charities.  When in doubt, do your homework and research the charity.  A simple search on the Internet may save you money, time, and stress.

5. When searching for news on disasters, go to a trusted news site or major media organizations, not a random link that shows up on the Internet.

6. Be vigilant and proactive about reporting disaster scams! It may potentially prevent other computer users from becoming a victim.  Report to

a. Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org)
b. FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov)
c. Websites like Charity Navigator can confirm whether a charity is real and whether it has a good reputation. http://www.charitynavigator.org

Remember these tips, and help the cause and the victims, not the scammers.

If you have been defrauded by a fake charity, post a complaint to Scambook.

See Also

Charity Fraud Warning: Oklahoma Tornado Disaster Relief Scams
Avoiding Breast Cancer Charity Scams
5 Essential Survival Tips to Prepare Your Family for a Natural Disaster