Here is a Google spreadsheet that tracks some of the domains I've been monitoring, including notations about whether the domains are active and if they point to sites that ask for donations. I'll update this sheet as the days go by; if anyone has any updates to add, please drop a comment below. All of the domains mentioned above have been reported to the Justice Department's National Center for Disaster Fraud, which accepts tips at disaster@leo.gov.
Let me be clear: Just because a site is listed here doesn't mean it's a scam (or that it will be). Some of these sites may have been set up by well-intentioned people; others appear to have been established by legitimate aid groups who are pooling their resources to assist local victims.
Another domain in this spreadsheet — florencereliefeffort.org — accepts donations on its site via a third party fundraising network Qgiv.com. The site belongs to a legitimate 501(c)(3) Muslim faith-based nonprofit in Raleigh, N.C, that is collecting money for Hurricane Florence victims.
If you're familiar with these charities, great. Otherwise, it's a good idea to research the charitable group before giving them money to help victims.
As The New York Times noted on Sept. 15, one way to do that is through Charity Navigator, which grades established charities on transparency and financial health, and has compiled a list of those active in the recovery from Florence. Other sites like GuideStar, the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance and Charity Watch perform similar reviews. You can find more details about how those sites work here.
Finally, remember that phishers and malware purveyors love to seize on the latest disasters to further their schemes. Never click on links or attachments in emails or social media messages that you weren't expecting.
This entry was posted on Monday, September 24th, 2018 at 12:34 pm	and is filed under A Little Sunshine, Latest Warnings, The Coming Storm, Web Fraud 2.0.