The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning those who want to help flood victims in South Carolina and neighboring states to beware of scammers and fake charities. After a natural disaster, it’s common for scam artists to impersonate charities to get money or private information from those who want to help.
Here are some tips from BBB:
Donate to well-known charities. Beware of charities that spring up overnight. Check out a charity at bbb.org/charity.
Beware of charities with names that are similar to nationally known organizations. Some fake charities will use similar names or websites of reputable organizations.
Do not be pressured into making a donation right away. Legitimate charities will take your donation today, tomorrow, or next month.
Don’t provide personal or financial information, like your Social Security number, bank account numbers, or credit card information to just anyone who solicits a donation. Make sure they are reputable first.
Beware of fake websites. Fake donation websites frequently mimic the sites of, or use names similar to legitimate charities, or claim to work with legitimate charities in order to get donations.
Be careful on social media. Posts claim to show videos of the devastated areas, and when you click on them, you are either taken to a fake website where scammers “phish” for information, or a virus could be downloaded to your computer.
Beware of fake emails. Scammers often send emails with links that send the recipient to fake websites that appear to be affiliated with legitimate charitable causes.
Don’t give cash. For security and tax record purposes, contribute by check or credit card or another way that provides documentation of the gift.
Source: WBKO
You must be logged in to post a comment.