STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (May 21, 2013) – There is no doubt that the people of Moore, Okla., need assistance in the wake of yesterday’s massive deadly tornado. And, they need the help now.

Following natural disasters, scam artists commonly try to stuff their own pockets by diverting much-needed emergency funds from those in need.

Based on past experiences, I am certain that Staten Islanders and our fellow New Yorkers will do all we can in an effort to ease the pain and suffering of those ravaged by the tornado.

KNOW THE CHARITY

We all want to help, some hands-on, and others with donations of supplies and dollars.  If you want to contribute money – Relevant Public Relations is urging you to make certain your donations will be headed to a legitimate charitable organization.

Following natural disasters, scam artists commonly try to stuff their own pockets by diverting much-needed emergency funds from those in need.

In the past, the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) have reminded the public of the potential for fraud in the aftermath of a disaster, such as the latest one in Oklahoma.

As the FBI points out:

 “In the wake of natural disasters, many individuals feel moved to contribute to victim assistance programs and organizations across the country. The Department of Justice and the FBI remind the public to apply a critical eye and do [their] due diligence before giving to anyone soliciting donations on behalf of  … victims. Solicitations can originate as e-mails, websites, door-to-door collections, mailings, telephone calls, and similar methods.”

SUGGESTED GUIDELINES

Before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain guidelines suggested by the FBI, including the following:

• Do not respond to any unsolicited (spam) incoming e-mails, including by clicking links contained within those messages, because they may contain computer viruses.
• Be cautious of individuals representing themselves as victims or officials asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.
• Beware of organizations with copycat names similar to, but not exactly the same, as those of reputable charities.
• Rather than following a purported link to a website, verify the existence and legitimacy of non-profit organizations by using Internet-based resources.
• Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files, because those files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
• To ensure that contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make donations directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
• Do not be pressured into making contributions; reputable charities do not use coercive tactics.
• Do not give your personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions. Providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.
• Avoid cash donations if possible. Pay by debit or credit card or write a check directly to the charity. Do not make checks payable to individuals.
• Legitimate charities do not normally solicit donations via money transfer services.
• Most legitimate charities maintain websites ending in .org rather than .com.

For additional information, including ways to report suspected fraud, click here to visit the FBI online.

To may find out where to donate safely by reading the msn.com article, “How To Help Moore, Okla., Tornado Victims.”

— Barton Horowitz, president

Relevant Public Relations