Emergency Response: Don’t Get Taken By Scammers

 

On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, people all over the world were shocked to find out a massive earthquake had struck and devastated Port-au-Prince, Haiti. According to the Red Cross, the quake and repeated aftershocks caused widespread destruction, leaving tens of thousands of casualties and possibly millions more were impacted throughout the country by injury or displacement. The full scope of devastation is still unfolding.

And as the world watches rescue workers sorting through the debris, aid groups work with what resources they have available. In the case of the Red Cross, the response has been great. In just a couple of days, nearly $1 million in donations were raised for the Red Cross and their relief effort through a text message campaign backed by the U.S. State Department.

In times like these of great tragedy, many of us are inspired to donate our time or money, in spite of tough economic times. But it’s important to remember that even during the most difficult times, there are always people out there who’s sole aim is take advantage of your good intentions in order to separate you from your money. Make sure you know you are dealing with an organization you can trust.

The FBI offers some good advice to help you make sure your donation makes to those who need it most, rather than just lining some crook’s pockets.

• Don’t respond to any unsolicited spam emails, and never click on any links in an unfamiliar message.
• Beware of any email that supposedly has images of the disaster sent as attachments, those files could contain viruses or other malicious files.
• Never give your personal or financial information to anyone soliciting contributions. This could open you up to identity theft.
• Make your donations direction to an organization you are familiar with. Don’t rely on any one else to make a contribution on your behalf.

Check out the FBI’s site for more tips on how you can avoid falling victim to scammers trying to take advantage of this great tragedy. The AMW Safety Center also has plenty of tips to help protect you from a variety of types of ID crimes.