Tips for Avoiding Disaster Relief Fraud

Phony charitable organizations started being reported after 9-11 and then again after the Tsunami. CNN reported this morning that there were 2,000 or so websites that have sprung up that are phony disaster relief organizations. So, take care with your charitable dollars and follow the advice on this site:

http://www.give.org/news/disaster_tips.asp

Safe organizations for disaster relief are The Red Cross, The Salvation Army, United Way, Habitat for Humanity and there are many others. But do take care of organizations that you have never heard of and give your money to the established relief organizations.

At the following link there is a list of charitable organizations and their status with the IRS, when they were founded and some information about them. Check to see if the organization is on this list an check their status before giving to them.

http://www.give.org/news/katrina.asp

Too bad there are crooks out there that try to make a buck on other people's suffering but it seems to be happening once again.