Justice Department warns about Hurricane Helene and Milton scams

You may be trying to do your part by donating to victims of Hurricanes Helene and Milton but scammers are quick to take advantage of your kindness.

Carolee Ochsner brought a van full of items to one donation center, Matthew: 25 Ministries , as she had been a flood victim herself once, and was paying it forward.

"This is the little bit that we can do to give back again," she said while dropping off packs of diapers and cleaning wipes.

Donating food and personal care items to a local organization you trust is one way to ensure your donations get to those in need.

"We raided the house and got towels, shoes, clothing," Ochsner said.

Scams to watch out for

The government is warning consumers about potential scams in the wake of hurricanes. The Justice Department said fraudulent charities often imitate the names of legitimate organizations, from the Red Cross to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and everything in between.

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Zulfikar Ramzan is with the digital safety company Aura . He says if you receive a donation request via text or email, don't click that link directly.

You can't be sure an unsolicited email is actually from a legitimate group like the Red Cross, for instance.

"Type the actual name of the site directly into your browser or do a Google search for that site," he said,

He says scammers also count on social media users to share fraudulent posts with friends.

"They're hoping that if they can get the word out there and get others to propagate their scams, the scams will appear much more trustworthy," he said.

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So be especially careful of shared Facebook posts, or shared GoFundMe requests from people you don't know.

But Ochsner says consider doing something because every little bit helps.

"Amen," she said.

That way you give safely, and you don't waste your money.

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