Beware Hurricane Disaster Scams
Written by Andrew-Rossi on August 30, 2017
As is the case in any disaster, unscrupulous people will attempt to take advantage of American’s desire to help those in need as a result of Hurricane Harvey.
The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, a Division of the Office of Homeland Security, is warning citizens to be aware of malicious email and internet activity seeking to capitalize on interest in Hurricane Harvey.
Emails requesting donations from deceitful charitable organizations commonly appear after major natural disasters. Officer Matt Brilakis from the Powell Police Department cautions residents to verify where their money is going.
The Readiness Team advises citizens that they should not follow unsolicited web links in email messages, use caution when opening email attachments, and keep antivirus and other computer software up-to-date. Additionally, you can verify the legitimacy of any email request by contacting the organization directly – trusted contact information for many charities can be found on the Better Business Bureau’s National Charity Report Index.
