Fake Disaster Relief Charities Steal Donations Meant for Hurricane and Earthquake Victims
After every major weather emergency or natural disaster, scammers rush in to steal money meant for relief. They create fake charities that seem official, or they impersonate well-known organizations, hoping the familiar name will draw your donation. Either way, your money goes to the scammer, not the people in need.
Before you give, do some research: search for the cause using terms like "hurricane relief" or "wildfire recovery," and look charities up on CharityWatch or Give.org to see whether they are established organizations or ones that appeared overnight. If someone asks you to donate by text, check the charity's website first and confirm you have the right number. Legitimate charities accept donations in many ways — never only cash, gift cards, wires, or cryptocurrency.
What to look for
- A charity that appeared right after a disaster with no established track record
- A familiar charity name in a text or social post — but with a number or link you have not seen before
- Donation requests that only accept cash, gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency
- A social media donation post from a friend that you have not verified against the charity's official channels