What to do when scammers pour in after disasters

Celebrity Kim Kardashian recently took to Instagram to caution her followers to stay alert for scams after her name was falsely linked to a fake fundraiser claiming to support victims of the deadly and devastating Palisades and Eaton wildfires.

Similarly, actress and former television personality Ricki Lake, whose Malibu home burned down, was appalled to learn a video had been shared on her Instagram, posing as Lake and asking for money.

And so it goes.

As surely as disasters happen, scammers and thieves follow in their wake, even before the smoke and ash have settled.

While thousands of residents are eager to jump to the aid of fellow residents who have faced unimaginable loss, it is important to understand that scammers lie in wait.

“We have people with big hearts who want to help, they want to donate, they want to support the victims,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a recent press conference. “We also see scammers who are taking advantage of that goodness and that generosity and scamming and defrauding those individuals.”

And, in an unusually cruel twist, thieves prey on victims, answering pleas with fake offers of help.

“Any time there is a disaster, the scammers start coming out of the woodwork,” Reinier Nissen, a scam buster who tracks online schemes, told the San Francisco Standard online news organization.

What to do?

In an effort to help deal with fraudulent scams, Behind the Badge and SafeOC, an online information source under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), are helping identify how to spot illegal scams and ways residents can safely help one another.

When making online donations, it’s important not to become a victim or a mark.

Accompanying an unprecedented flood of requests from charities, aid groups and individuals have been scammers who have faked or spoofed legit requests.

Scammers create false accounts on popular social media platforms that imitate or closely resemble the originals and reach out to friends and followers by sharing links to false fundraisers. Although social media operators try hard to verify requests and block false accounts, they can be overwhelmed.

As a result, it’s vital for donors and even recipients to verify not only where aid goes but from whom it’s offered. And always protect yourself.

Protection tactics

Experts say steps can be taken to identify fraud. They include:

• Check the description for typos or misspellings;
• Review IRS-identified tax-exempt organizations to make sure the charity exists;.
• Review the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker for information on charitable organizations and scams;.
• Corroborate the fundraiser description;
• Use reverse image search websites like TinEye or Google Images to see if posted images show up elsewhere;
• Cross-reference the details in the description or the fundraiser creator or charity with social media accounts;
• Directly contact the crowdsourcing platform for independent verification;
• If donating to a specific person or family, you can usually contact the beneficiary or organizer directly.

Victimizing victims

If you have suffered loss due to the disasters, beware of those who would double-down on your woes. Scammers will pose as government or insurance officials offering help, or as landlords or contractors to re-victimize residents.

Fraudsters who pose as insurance agents or government officials may request personal information or fees to expedite claims. Legitimate agencies do not charge for processing disaster assistance applications.

After disasters, scammers and unlicensed contractors may offer quick repairs in exchange for advance payments.

And then there are those who pose as Samaritans, the very people to whom victims are reaching out for help.

In this scenario, phishers use crowdsourcing and social media sites to find potential victims, often by conducting searches for terms like ‘wildfire relief.’ If nature victimizes you, be wary there are unnatural dangers afoot.

How to be careful

If you are seeking aid, there are ways to gauge legitimacy or sincerity:

• Anyone from a government agency, insurance company, or charity should be reachable through a verified site and willing to contact you through other means;
• Make contractors provide licenses and gather competing estimates;
• Avoid requests for upfront payments;
• Beware of beneficiaries trying to draw you into private chat spaces;
• Offers of “consulting services” to boost fundraising are often bogus;
• Make sure you connect with a secure website that has an SSL, or a Secure Sockets Layer. Look for “https” in the address bar.

Some general tactics to resist scams for victims and donors:

• Don’t click on anything in unsolicited email or text messages;
• Pay attention to the requested payment method. Scammers prefer less secure modes so that it is more difficult to recover lost funds;
• Never pay in cyber currency, gift cards, or wire transfer;
• Be calm. Scammers thrive on emotion, chaos, and urgency. Avoid high-pressure tactics.

Credible ways to go

For all the bad actors out there, many are legit and are providing invaluable support.

Some websites do a good job tracking and vetting charities.

• Charity Navigator has created a page devoted to wildfire relief and reputable charities.
• Better Business Bureau has a page that addresses both wildlife resources and scams.
• GoFundMe has established a central fund that has distributed more that $3.75 million to victims it has verified.

What not to do

Often with the best of intentions, social media users inadvertently share false stories, giving them an air of authenticity, especially to friends and trusting followers.

Organizers say a little forethought can keep you from being part of the problem.

“If we had a little patience and took a deep breath and waited five minutes before we pressed share, there would be a lot less havoc and a lot less garbage littering our social media feeds,” Sam Wineberg, a Stanford emeritus professor and co-principal of the nonprofit Digital Inquiry Group, told the Orange County Register.

About SafeOC: To learn more about general safety, SafeOC is an omnibus source of information. The site is part of “If You See Something Say Something,” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) national anti-terrorism public awareness initiative. The site has also expanded to include cybersecurity information to protect users and consumers on the internet.

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