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From U.S.
Department of Justice:
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WASHINGTON—The
Department of Justice, the FBI, and the National Center for Disaster Fraud
(NCDF) remind the public there is a potential for disaster fraud in the
aftermath of a natural disaster. Suspected fraudulent activity pertaining to
relief efforts associated with Hurricane Sandy should be reported to the
toll-free NCDF hotline at 866-720-5721. The hotline is staffed by a live
operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the purpose of reporting
suspected scams being perpetrated by criminals in the aftermath of disasters.
NCDF was
originally established in 2005 by the Department of Justice to investigate,
prosecute, and deter fraud associated with federal disaster relief programs
following Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. Its mission has expanded to
include suspected fraud related to any natural or man-made disaster. More than
20 federal agencies—including the Justice Department's Criminal Division, U.S.
Attorneys' Offices, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector
General, and the FBI—participate in the NCDF, allowing the center to act as a
centralized clearinghouse of information related to disaster relief fraud.
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 due
diligence before giving to anyone soliciting donations on behalf of hurricane
victims. Solicitations can originate as e-mails, websites, door-to-door
collections, mailings, telephone calls, and similar methods.
Before making a
donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain guidelines, 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.
In addition to
raising public awareness, the NCDF is the intake center for all disaster relief
fraud. Therefore, if you observe that someone has submitted a fraudulent claim
for disaster relief or observe any other suspected fraudulent activities
pertaining to the receipt of government funds as part of disaster relief or
clean up, please contact the NCDF.
If you believe
that you have been a victim of fraud by a person or organization soliciting
relief funds on behalf of hurricane victims, or if you discover fraudulent
disaster relief claims submitted by a person or organization, contact the NCDF
by phone at (866) 720-5721, fax at (225) 334-4707, or e-mail at disaster@leo.gov.
You can also
report suspicious e-mail solicitations or fraudulent websites to the FBI's
Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
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