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It seems like every day, a major weather emergency or natural disaster happens somewhere in the world. To help people affected by disasters like hurricanes, recent flooding in Nepal and Tibet, or recent earthquakes in Venezuela, Japan, and Colombia, you might want to donate money to help. Scammers know that and hope to steal money intended for disaster relief. Here’s what to know.

To take advantage of your generosity, scammers might create fake charities that seem official. They claim to help people affected by weather emergencies or natural disasters. They also might impersonate well-known charity organizations, hoping that the familiar name will draw your donation. Either way, if you donate to these fakes, your money goes to the scammer, not the people in need.

So how can you support impacted people without accidentally paying a scammer? Before you donate:

  • Do some research. Search online for the cause you care about using terms like “hurricane relief” or “wildfire recovery.” If you get a request to donate to a cause on social media, research that, too. Don’t assume it’s legitimate because a friend posted it. 
  • Look charities up on Charity Watch or Give.org. See if it’s an established organization, not one that showed up overnight without a real way to help those in need. Also, find out exactly how much of your donation goes directly to the people the charity says it helps.
  • Confirm the number. If someone asks you to donate by text, check the charity’s website first. Confirm you have the right number.
  • Don’t donate to anyone who says you can only pay by cash, gift card, wiring money, or cryptocurrency. Legitimate charities will accept donations in many different ways. 

Learn more about donating safely at ftc.gov/charity. And if you spot a charity imposter, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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