October 3rd, 2022 by WCBC Radio
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is warning consumers to be on guard against impostors calling to solicit monetary donations to aid those affected by Hurricane Ian in Florida.
The governor of Florida is calling the damage brought by Ian historic, a weather event never before experienced by Floridians. Soon, money and relief items will begin to arrive to help affected residents.
With that, scammers will be in full force preying on people’s giving hearts and taking advantage of the organizations that have been set up to provide relief to storm victims.
“My thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by this catastrophic weather,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “Many are expected to respond with generosity and kindness but unfortunately, there will be those who would take advantage of people’s willingness to give. I encourage those who wish to give to the relief effort to do so, but give wisely so that your generosity helps those in need.”
According to the FBI, charity/disaster fraud schemes seek donations that do little or no work—instead, the money goes to the fake charity’s creator. While these scams can happen at any time, they are especially prevalent after high-profile disasters.
Those who want to give to a charity or organization should confirm it is registered with the proper state government agency. People can access that information through the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office.
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