Wildfire scams: who to target and how to spot them

In any situation where emotions run high and money changes hands, you can expect to find scammers walking around. Unfortunately, amid the devastation it caused Wildfires in Southern CaliforniaScams began to appear quickly.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has warned of a growing problem of scams targeting people looking to donate to wildfire relief efforts. In a press conference on Saturday. The state’s Better Business Bureau also got involved, offering tips on what to look for for potential scams.

“We have people with big hearts who want to help, who want to donate, who want to support the victims,” Bonta said. “We also see scammers who take advantage of this goodness and this generosity and deceive and defraud these individuals.”

Wildfires have been burning near Los Angeles since January 7, including the Eaton Fire and the Pacific Palisades Fire, the two largest and most destructive fires. More than 200,000 people have been evacuated so far, more than 12,000 buildings are believed to have been destroyed, and damage costs are estimated at more than $250 billion. With level Aid and financial assistance It is now trickling into the region, and has created the perfect environment for scam artists to launch.

Read on for all the details you need to stay safe from these scams. For more wildfire coverage, See how victims can avoid illegal rent hikes And knowledge How to navigate fire water warnings.

What kind of scams are exploiting victims of the Los Angeles wildfires?

During his press conference, Bonta mentioned that the scams were targeting people trying to donate money or supplies to wildfire victims, and setting up fake organizations to scam those good Samaritans — often designed to scam people with official-sounding names.

Who are these scammers targeting the most?

Bonta said the scams targeted the elderly, immigrants and non-English speaking individuals in particular. These are three groups of people who are frequently targeted by scams in general. But anyone can be scammed if they don’t pay close attention.

What are the main signs of a scam?

Here too, the signs to look for are common to all types of scams. Scammers, ca The BBB explained to local outlet KTLAthey often engage in “high-pressure” sales tactics, which pressures people to act quickly and rashly, which can lead to poor decision-making. Be on the lookout for any potential charities that seem like they want you to donate as soon as possible.

Scammers are also likely to request cash transactions, or another type of payment that will make it difficult or impossible for you to track transactions. Whenever possible, you should only make donations through secure platforms and using credit cards, so that payments can be tracked in the event of fraud.

Are GoFundMe bushfire charities safe from scams?

GoFundMe said it has stepped up its efforts to prevent scams on its site. The popular fundraising platform is verifying all pages related to bushfires and has collected all the verified pages On a special page. The company also gave a shoutout to a number of notable organizations that people can donate to without any fear of scams if they want to help with wildfire relief efforts, including World Central Kitchen, Pasadena Humane, and Baby2Baby.

How can you check if a charity is real?

Speaking about wildfire relief scams, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell suggested using online tools Like a charitable navigator or California BBB website To check which charity you are considering donating to. Another solid option is IRS tax exempt organization search tool.

For more, find out How an app helps people track wildfire conditions.