Action 9: Watch out for donation scams following Hurricane Helene

PERRY, Fla. — As thousands of people continue to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, there are scammers looking to cash in on the disaster.

Just hours after the hurricane ravaged the town of Perry in the Big Bend area of Florida, Pastor Steven Ruff was already working with the Salvation Army to help his community try to get back on its feet.

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He told Action 9 Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal, “We will be trying to immediately establish some ways to do some feeding right away.”

That came at the same time his church, First Baptist Church of Perry, was dealing with damage to its youth center. Part of the roof ripped off and flew more than a block away during the storm.

“Just love on our neighbors. That’s what we’re going to be doing. Let them tell us how we can help them,” he said.

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But for many who didn’t feel the impact directly and don’t have personal knowledge of the areas that were hit, it’s harder to know how to begin helping those in need.

Better Business Bureau President Holly Salmons said, “Just because the website or the social media campaign or the text message looks very professional doesn’t always mean that it’s a source that you can trust.”

When making donations, Salmons suggested that giving to someone you know personally is the safest thing and established charities that were there before the storm are generally a safe choice.

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Often, bogus charities will pop-up looking to cash in on disasters.

“As we start to see these types of things being shared around social media and things, the actual origin of the campaign can become somewhat fuzzy,” Salmons said.

Here are somethings to keep in mind before donating:

-Get the charity’s exact name. Often fake charities will have familiar sounding names.

-Do your research and resist the pressure to donate on the spot especially if dealing with someone collecting door-to-door.

-Press the charity for specifics. Find out what needs it’s addressing, how it will help and how quickly it can mobilize.

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Salmons said, “Asking a few questions really. Just make sure that you, as an educated donor, are getting what you expect from your donation.”

The BBB has a website that can help you search for legitimate charities: Give.org

Even if a charity you’re considering isn’t on the list, the website has additional tips about making an informed decision about giving.

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