Many are wanting to donate to help out with disaster relief for Hurricane Ian, but Florida officials warn that you have to make sure that if you make a donation it is to a legitimate organization that is not a scam.
Patronis is warning the public not to use GoFundMe unless they personally know the person running the campaign.
“When we were down at the Surfside building collapse, we had GoFundMe popping up all these fraud accounts. These people would say ‘Oh I lost my dog can you help me raise money,’ and people would give thousands of dollars to somebody they never even knew cause it was a large emotionally impacted issue and they would tie a personal attachment to it,” Patronis said. “People would share it virally and there is money to be donated.
The Federal Trade Commission provides tips on how you can avoid scammers if you are trying to donate. For example, the FTC said don’t let people rush you into donating, and always keep a record of all the donations you make. For more tips“The predators come in hours after the disaster,” Patronis said. “So we have already heard of canvassing in the neighborhoods of unscrupulous contractors who are playing games in order to get you repairs done on your house, but then they will end up controlling your insurance claims.
Whether you are making a donation or you are rebuilding after a natural disaster, always make sure you are giving your money to the right person.
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