By Maria Salette Ontiveros, The Dallas Morning News
As the holiday season gets into full swing, the FBI is warning the public about an increase in charity and disaster-relief fraud, saying scammers frequently use natural disasters, emergencies, and crises to solicit moneys.
People and groups running scams often make their pitches after major disasters, posing as legitimate charities or relief organizations to collect donations that never reach those in need, according to federal investigators. .
The scams may involve emails, phone calls, crowdfunding pages, social media posts or websites that appear to be the online home for legitimate nonprofit organizations.
Federal officials say scammers may also impersonate contractors, government agencies, or relief workers offering cleanup or recovery services. In many cases, victims are asked to pay up front and receive nothing in return.
The FBI recommends several steps to avoid fraud, including verifying the legitimacy of any charity before donating, avoiding unsolicited links or attachments and using secure payment methods such as credit cards instead of cash, gift cards, cash apps or wire transfers.
Officials also advise donors that they should try to determine if a charity is registered and research how it uses its funds.
Suspicious activity can be reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov or to the National Center for Disaster Fraud.
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