FBI warns of charity scams and fraud schemes after Carolina wildfires

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The Federal Bureau of Investigation is warning residents of potential charity and disaster fraud scams stemming from the Carolina wildfires.

Law enforcement says while these scams can happen at any time, they are more likely after high-profile disasters. Criminals use tragedies to exploit people wanting to help.

Charity scams can take various forms, including emails, social media posts, crowdfunding platforms, and cold calls. Officials are urging individuals to do research and use caution when looking to donate to charitable causes.

After natural disasters, unethical contractors and other scammers could also commit insurance fraud. Aiming to re-victimize people whose homes or businesses have been damaged.

“Sometimes these fraudsters even pretend to be affiliated with the government, when they are not,” the FBI stated on its website. “If you need any post-disaster repairs, do your research before hiring any contractor.”

The FBI released the following instructions to avoid these schemes:

• Give to established charities or groups whose work you know and trust
• Be aware of organizations with copycat names or names similar to reputable organizations
• Be wary of new organizations that claim to aid victims of recent high-profile disasters
• Use the Federal Trade Commission’s resources to examine the record of a charity
• Give using a check or credit card. If a charity or organization asks you to donate via cash, gift card, virtual currency, or wire transfer – it’s probably a scam
• After a natural disaster or other emergency, carefully vet any contractors before hiring them to work on your home or business.
• Check the website’s address – most legitimate charity organization websites use .org, not .com.
• Don’t provide any personal information in response to an email, robocall, or robotext.