State Police are warning residents about some possible solicitation fraud that may look like charities trying to help victims of Hurricane Florence.
In a news release, state police say that many people will want to give financial aid after times of natural disasters, and criminals are looking for victims who will make donations without vetting the charitiy thoroughly. The scammer’s plan is usually to pocket the money that victims give to fake charities.
To avoid becoming a victim in these scams, state police advise that charities you give to should be vetted thoroughly, and they recommend looking up the charity through Better Business Bureau suggested websites like www.give.org, www.charitynavigator.org and others. Also, use a search engine like google to look up the chairity, and add the words “complaint”, “review”, “rating” or “scam” to your search to see if people have complained about the charity in the past. Also, be aware that one common scam is for the scammer to make the charity name sound like another charity that is legitimate. Also, make sure that you’re not on a copycat website by looking for spelling or grammar errors, and never click on attachments in unsolicited emails.
The best way to avoid being scammed and still help those affected by Hurricane Florence is to donate to a charity you know and trust.
If you feel you have been scammed, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or call 1-877-FTC-HELP
