How to avoid and report charity fraud in the aftermath of a disaster

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- In the aftermath of catastrophic flooding in Texas, with many wishing to donate to charities that support victims and their families, consumers should be aware of how to avoid and report charity fraud.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), charity fraud schemes seek donations for organizations that do little or no work. Instead of going to those in need, the money goes to the fake charity’s creator.

While these scams can happen at any time, they are especially prevalent after high-profile disasters, the FBI said.

FBI's tips to avoid charity fraud

The FBI shared the following tips that folks can use to avoid charity and disaster fraud:

• Give to established charities or groups whose work you know and trust.
• Be aware of organizations with copycat names or names similar to reputable organizations.
• Be wary of new organizations that claim to aid victims of recent high-profile disasters.
• Do your research. Use the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) resources to examine the track record of a charity.
• Give using a check or credit card. If a charity or organization asks you to donate through cash, gift card, virtual currency, or wire transfer, it's probably a scam. Learn more about this from the FTC.
• Practice good cyber hygiene:
  • Don't click links or open email attachments from someone you don't know.
  • Manually type out links instead of clicking on them. 
  • Don't provide any personal information in response to an email, robocall or robotext.
  • Check the website's address, as most legitimate charity organization websites use .org, not .com.
• After a natural disaster or other emergency, carefully vet any contractors before hiring them to work on your home or business.

BBB Wise Giving's advice for donating to Texas flooding victims

Before donating to a charity in support of Texas flooding victims, nonprofit BBB Wise Giving provided the following five tips to donors:

• Cautions with donating goods. Donating clothing, food or other similar donations may not be the best way to help unless the charity can properly distribute such aid. Ask about their transportation and distribution plans.
• Find out what needs the charity is addressing. Many individuals and families in impacted areas will seek safety in shelters and need access to food and water. Charities focused on these activities serve a vital role in helping communities address natural disasters.
• Consider crowdfunding requests. If engaging in crowdfunding, it is safest to give to someone you know and trust. Also, review the platform’s policies and procedures, keeping in mind that while some crowdfunding sites take significant measures to vet posts, others don’t.
• Recognize the phases of disaster relief. While much of the attention focuses on the first 72 hours after a disaster, charities provide vital support well beyond that period. From immediate aid to long-term recovery and preparedness, your contributions help at every stage of rebuilding.
• Verify the charity’s trustworthiness. Rely on expert opinions when it comes to evaluating a charity. BBB Wise Giving recommends giving to charities that meet all 20 of the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.

BBB Scam Tracker

BBB Wise Giving Alliance's BBB Scam Tracker is an online tool used to prevent and report fraud and fraud attempts.

According to the nonprofit, the reports are reviewed and posted on the platform, allowing folks to search published scams and determine whether they are being targeted.

Anyone who believes they may have been scammed by what they believed was a charity can go to the BBB Scam Tracker and take the following steps:

• Click the “Report a Scam” button
• Choose: I was targeted by an imposter pretending to be a real person or organization.
• Choose: Charity

"The information collected through BBB Scam Tracker is used to publish timely research and create effective consumer education resources through the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, the educational foundation of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus," the nonprofit said. "Understanding the latest scammer tactics and trends enables BBB to help people spot and avoid scams."

BBB Scam Tracker data is also shared with law enforcement, helping them in their work to locate and prosecute the perpetrators.