“Cybercriminals are opportunists and, sadly, events like Harvey and Irma are prime examples of their preying on humanity’s empathy and trust,’’ says Zack Allen, manager of threat operations at security consultant ZeroFox. “People all over the world quickly rushed to their social media accounts to find the best avenues to donate to victims, but these same avenues are ideal for scammers who try to convince victims to donate to their fraudulent causes.”
Allen’s advice:
- Do not click on any message or link from a post, page or profile that you do not trust.
- Check profiles for the verified organization logo before following their advice.
- Research the organization or cause you are donating to. Try contacting them, checking if they are listed on the Better Business Bureau website and asking friends and family if they have experience donating to the organization.
Florida officials are also warning homeowners to beware of scammers who show up posing as Federal Emergency Management Agency damage inspectors or repair contractors. Consumers are also falling prey to robocalls and other unsolicited calls that seek storm-related donations or offer damage assessments and flood insurance. “One of the red flags people should be aware of is someone getting in touch with you out of the blue,’’ said Federal Trade Commission spokesman Frank Dorman. “It’s definitely something you want to be wary of.”
The FTC and Texas officials say Harvey-related online scams continue to proliferate: The state attorney general’s office had received 3,285 complaints about scams, fraud and price gouging through Monday. There also have been complaints from flood victims over phony home repairs, insurance scams and fraudulent FEMA-related jobs. If Texans in affected counties believe they have been scammed or encountered price gouging during or after Hurricane Harvey, they should call the Texas Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline, 800-621-0508, or email consumeremergency@oag.texas.gov.
Consumers can also file a complaint with the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline at 866-720-5721.
Source: AARP Money
How To Avoid Storm-Related Scams and Fraud
