Report Wildfire Disaster Related Fraud Schemes

According to the San Diego Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation , there has been a warning issued to the public about diaster related fraud schemes. The current wildfires in California have prompted them to warn the public about people posing as diaster relief charities.

These scams are coming from the internet. History has shown that in past events like 9/11, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Virginia Tech shootings, and the Minneapolis bridge collaspe, there are individuals with bad intentions waiting to take advantage of people who want to donate to charities.

When dealing with the internet we must be careful. The FBI is warning the public to be cautious when dealing with an unknown charity. If you happen to get an email asking for contributions, the best thing to do is be skeptical!

Here are some tips from the FBI in dealing with unknown charities soliciting via the internet:

Don't respond to unsolicited emails.

Never click on links in an email that was unsolicited.

Do not open attachments if you do not know the sender.
These emails may state that there are pictures attached if you open the links. These attachments may contain viruses.

If the email has a link asking you to click, do not do it. Instead open a new window and try to find the official website of that organization. You can search the internet and see if it is actually an organization seeking charities.

Make contributions directly to recognized organizations. Your generous contribution might never make it to the organization if you are relying on someone to donate in your behalf.

Never provide your personal information to anyone soliciting contributions on the internet. This could expose you to identity theft.

If you want to make a donation you should use familiar charities such as the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
Call 1-800-HELP-NOW (1-800-435-7669) to donate money (English speaking). TDD 1-800-220-4095, Spanish speaking 1-800-257-7575. You can also contact the Donation and Volunteer Line by calling 1-877-USACORPS (1-877-872-2677).

To report a complaint about a possible scam call (800) CALL FBI (225-5324)

To report a complaint through the Internet, go to www.ic3.gov

Or call the San Diego FBI Office at (858) 565-1255.

For more information on potential scams visit : www.fbi.gov.

Source:
FBI Announces 1-800 Number to Report Wildfire Disaster Related Fraud Schemes
http://sandiego.fbi.gov/pressrel/2007/sd102407.htm