Donating to Charity

Following the Israel-Gaza crisis in the news and want to help by donating to a charity? Scammers follow the news, too, and are at the ready. Just like in the wake of a natural disaster, scammers set up fake charities to take advantage of your generosity.

Throw a dart at a map of the U.S. and chances are you’ll land on a community that suffered severe weather this year. Whether it’s landslides on the West Coast, extreme ice storms in the South, spring tornadoes across the Midwest, recent flooding in the Northeast, or the wildfires consuming the Hawaiian island of Maui, communities have experienced devastating losses ― and many are still recovering. With any weather disaster, you may consider a charitable donation to help those affected. But how you can avoid charity scams?

Wind-driven wildfires are causing devastation to the Hawaiian island of Maui. Nobody knows how long it will take to recover from the destruction, but we do know it won’t be long before scammers start trying to cash in. As the smoke begins to clear, here’s some advice to help you spot, avoid, and report disaster-related scams.