Beware of scammers when donating to help Hurricane Ida victims

HOUSTON — There are so many organizations helping or looking for ways to help in the wake of Hurricane Ida, but there are also crooks looking to make a quick buck. 

First, do your research. Poke around online and make sure the organization is going to use your donation the way you intend. Sites like the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, CharityWatch and GuideStar can all help with that.

You can also do a quick search on the IRS website to find out if your donation is tax-deductible.

If you decide you do want to donate, the Federal Trade Commission recommends using a credit card or check. Scammers will often ask for donations in cash, gift cards or by wiring money.

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Keep a record of any money you gave so you can check your accounts and make sure you’re not charged more and that it’s not a recurring donation.

A couple of “red flags” to watch out for:

• If someone is putting a lot of pressure on you to donate
• If the name of the organization sounds kind of like a well-known national organization 
• If the organization is brand-new or it’s offering you a prize to donate

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If something feels off, go back to Step 1. Depending on what you turn up, you can file a complaint with the FTC or the Texas Attorney General’s Office.