Male VO: Hurricane. Earthquake. Flood.

Female VO: When there’s news of a disaster, you may feel drawn to help.

But BEFORE you send money, be sure you’re actually dealing with a reputable organization—and NOT a scam.

Fraudsters try to take advantage of your goodwill—especially right after a crisis.

They might contact you by telephone, e-mail, the internet, text, or face-to-face.

They use high-pressure tactics to try to get you to give money, sometimes even pretending to represent a real organization.

So, be on the lookout for red flags, like requests for donations in cash; or by wire, courier or overnight delivery.

Remember, when communities are in crisis, you CAN make a difference—But you won’t help anyone if you don’t know who you’re dealing with.

When it comes to possible charity scams, exercise doubt and check it out, at FTC.gov. A tip from the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency.