Online Threat Alerts (OTA) - Alerting you to scams and frauds.

Hurricane Maria Charity or Donation Scams
Hurricane Maria Charity or Donation Scams

Scammers may take advantage of the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The scammers may take advantage by creating fake charity or donation websites to steal money, personal and financial information. Cybercriminals may also create fake and malicious email messages which may appear as if they came from legitimate charitable organizations asking for donations, to infect their potential victims' computers with viruses, ransomware, or malware. And, the scammers may create bogus social media pages and posts, and fraudulent charitable organizations with numbers to call. Remember, charity or donation scams are common after major natural disasters because scammers know that people are eager to help the victims.

Donate to charities you know and trust. And, never click on links or open attachments in emails unless you know who sent them and what they are. Opening attachments, even in e-mails that seem to be from friends, family members, or legitimate organizations can infect your computer or mobile device with viruses, spyware, Trojan horse and other malware that cybercriminals use to spy on you and steal your information.

Remember, be careful when sending your money; you want to help the victims and not to make the scammers rich by taking advantage of the tragedy. Below are some legitimate charitable organizations that you can make your donations to, help those in Texas who are affected by the flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey.

Legitimate Charitable Organizations

Hurricane Maria is an extremely powerful tropical cyclone affecting the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico, and threatening Cuba and the Southeastern United States.

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