Federal authorities are warning potential donors for Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts to be on the lookout for scammers.
The call comes from multiple branches of the federal government, with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) sending warnings about potential phishing scams and bogus e-mail solicitations, while the Department of Justice (DOJ) is warning of fraudulent activity in general. Fly-by-night operations that spring up immediately after such disasters to profit on them are a real issue, the authorities said.
Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the fraud task force received more than 36,000 complaints and, eventually, more than 1,300 people were indicted for related crimes.
“Unfortunately, criminals can exploit disasters, such as Hurricane Harvey, for their own gain by sending fraudulent communications through e-mail or social media and by creating phony websites designed to solicit contributions,” the National Center for Disaster Fraud said.
The National Center for Disaster Fraud–originally established in the wake of Hurricane Katrina–is watching over such attempts along with the FBI. Still, the easiest way to be sure an organization is legitimate is to consult the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster list, which Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has officially endorsed.
Other ways of protecting oneself as recommended by the National Center for Disaster Fraud include never clicking on links or attachments in unsolicited e-mail, never assuming social media posts about charity are real, watching for copycat organizations that use similar names to reputable charities, as well as avoiding cash donations and money transfers.
“As we all work to rebuild the Houston/Gulf Coast region and look for ways to help, it’s important to perform due diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to provide assistance to those affected by Harvey, whether the solicitations are in person, via e-mail, or by telephone,” Perrye Turner, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Houston Division, said in a statement.